


Frozen In Time

by PeanutButterLips



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: I'm asking you, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Questioning, Reverse Beauty and the Beast AU, Slavic mythology, ambiguous timeline, how does love work?, no really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-21
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-01 05:36:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8610742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeanutButterLips/pseuds/PeanutButterLips
Summary: Yuuri Katsuki is sent off to keep a ‘beast’ company, living in a castle far out in the woods, so as to protect his hometown. Yet when he arrives, he finds not a beast, but the most beautiful man he has ever seen… one who claims to be under a spell. He is not human and the spell will not be broken until someone loves him beyond appearance...





	1. Break the Loop

**Author's Note:**

> I saw this Reverse! Fairy Tale AU list on tumblr and decided to give something like it a try. I'd actually be very flattered if anyone were to comment or even just read this. I don't write fanfiction often, so I hope this is at the very least enjoyable.

“T-there….there has to be another way, right?” 

 

Yuko’s eyes never break away from the floor, leaving Yuuri's question unanswered, yet offering enough information in it’s silence.

 

“The townsfolk have been talking and they say that we're running out of options, the plan is to start sending married women out to the creature.” Takeshi explains to Yuuri and his parents who dote on the shaking Yuko, offering tea or another plate of venison even though she hadn't even touched her first.

 

“And the first choice is me….”Yuko finally speaks up, despite her voice being a fresh sound to the atmosphere, it trembles and cracks, signaling a warning that her tears cannot be held in for much longer.

 

No one responds for several minutes, the only sound to fill the small home is a sob or two from Yuko, even her own girls, who were often rowdy and energetic, sustain enough to sit solemnly on the wooden floor, listening to their mother’s cry.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Katsuki grab each other’s hand, Mari, in the doorway, averts her eyes from the scene, and Yuuri, deep in the depths of his mind, still refuses to believe what he just heard. Yuko and Takeshi both had been his friends since childhood, long before this creature had cursed his town. Despite their fear, their troubles, their lost loved ones, the three had always been able to pull each other through, especially Yuko, she was the heart of the three. For her to leave, leaving her husband and children behind, for a malevolent being who would do who knows what? It makes Yuuri want to scream. 

 

Alas, that isn't a solution though, Yuuri knows that. This isn't an issue one could simply run from, it wouldn't only be Yuko and Takeshi who would be affected by it,  _ everyone  _ in the village would suffer the consequences: when a maiden wasn’t sent to the creature, people’s crops would shrivel  and die, animals became sickly so their meat became inedible, winters were much more harsh, summers more dry. If it happened again the townsfolk would go looking for Yuko, she would set away by harsher forces.

 

Either way, someone would have to go, regardless of not wanting to. The only difference would be how big of the town’s population would have to endure the suffering that follows.

 

Someone had to go. Someone….had to go….Someone…. _ Anyone…. _

 

“Wait!” Yuuri jumps to his feet, pushing his chair to the floor, and startling everyone in the process. His mind is blank for a moment, Yuuri’s thoughts came and went so quickly his own body couldn’t respond fast enough to catch up with his emotions. His cheeks burn already, despite having not said anything; pupils dart to connect to each person in the room, it confirms that everybody, even the triplets, were staring at him. His heart becomes the powerful force in the house,suddenly, it pulses strong enough to send shivers over his body and cause his ears to ring. The sudden surge of energy clearly stunned even him.

 

It takes a moment but, after a deep breath, the words come to Yuuri, “I’ll go. In your place. I’ll go.”

 

Silence overpowers the room once more after that declaration. No one’s eyes left Yuuri’s nor did their expressions change from whence he stood from his seat. Takeshi’s is the first to change, his eyebrows furrow together to present his confusion.

 

“No. No, Y-Yuuri, that’s not how this works.” He states. Yuuri shakes his head. “No, it’s possible. I-it should be at least.” 

 

He steps away from the table and slides by his sister to leave the room, the remaining occupants look at one another, what had gone on in Yuuri’s head all of a sudden? He returns to the room immediately holding a small, tattered book with him, laying it on the table and sliding it in Takeshi and Yuko’s direction.

 

“You know how I’ve told you before that I’ve began to take notes of the creature’s actions and gettig stories from the town?”

 

Takashi looks up, his thumb flips through the pages, as though he's still reading, “Yeah? You started after Mari was sent there,right? You kept counting the days she was gone before she was sent back.” Yuuri nods.

 

“Yes, precisely. I started going around the town, after that and spoke to all the other women and their families about their time away.” Yuko glances over Takeshi’s shoulder and skims the pages as they float by: about every other page involved a different woman from town, their age, the time they were gone, and other scribbles passing by too quickly to read. Soon enough, Yuko grabs the booklet from her husband to study herself. “Why though?”

 

“At first, it was because I wanted to know what the creature was like and why it does what it does. But after Mari came home, her memory seemed...faded.” His sister nods, “That’s true. The month I was gone it was as though my mind had gone to….another world. There are….pictures I can see that feel like they were from that time ago, but almost...impossible.” Her gaze falls to her hands, she doesn’t say aloud but Yuuri is sure they are tingling with anticipation.

 

“I know I had met the creature, but I can’t see a face, or a shape at that. All I can be sure of is when I came back…. walking that same stoned path I was sent to back here. The time in between is as if my mind wasn’t there, At that time, too, I shouldn’t have known how to get back so easily. I-I was  _ there _ , but I wasn’t there as well.”

 

“That makes no sense!” the triplets lift their heads over the table to look over. 

 

“You said you could remember some things about being gone—”

 

“But then you said you only remembered coming home!”

 

“And how can you be and not be somewhere at the same time?”

 

Yuuri raises his hands as defense, fearing the girls may jump over the table. Yuko places her arm around the three and leads them back to the floor. No avail however, as they simply run around it to the other side instead to remain in view.

 

In order to prevent getting off track, Yuuri speaks up instead, “It’s hard to understand, yes, but Mari wouldn’t be the only person to describe it that way. After she came home, I walked through the town and spoke to any other women and girls who had been sent away by that point.” His left hand reaches out for his book which Yuko gives on cue, he kneels down to the girls and holds it for them at eye level, but remains talking loud enough for his family and Yuko and Takashi to hear. “And you’ll find that story with all of them: the girl, no matter the age, is sent through the forest, then come back anywhere from a week to two months. Yet each can’t recall happened when they were gone. They’re definite that they met the creature, but none can recall what it looks like or even where in the forest they had been. They aren’t hurt when they return, they aren’t sick, they’re in the same clothing as when they left, they’re unchanged. So something does happen out there, no one knows what though.”

 

Yuuri closes his booklet and stands straight, he looks at his parents, then to Yuko. “It’s entirely possible that, lest we don’t give the creature a person, no one will get in harms way. If I go, then maybe…” He looks to his booklet, “At the very least I can get some information on it.”

 

“Yuuri, that’s crazy!” His mother cries, “We thought we would never heal from Mari going, we can’t lose you too!.” Yuuri’s eyes soften, he hated seeing pain on any loved one’s face.

 

Takeshi removes himself from his seat, walking to the other side towards Yuuri, “I don’t care what you heard, it’s always been women anyway. The council won’t allow you to go in a girl’s place.”

 

“Even if it’s your wife?” Mari interjects, her glare could burn into anyone, even someone as girthed as Takeshi. With a few steps she leaves her place from the doorway and places a hand on Yuuri’s shoulder, “Listen, I don’t like what he said, but Yuuri  _ is  _ smart. If he does go he might be able to take notes on the beast. If he  _ doesn’t, your _ family will be the ones grieving, not ours.”

 

Yuko raises a hand, “Yuuri, please. It’s like you said, I’ll probably just be sent back home after a while.”

 

“And what if you don’t?” he disputes. Takeshi, Yuko, even the triplets jump back an inch at the bold question, the amount of emotion Yuuri had in his question had been enough to visibly scare each Nishigori. Yuuri takes in another breath to ease himself and leans back into his sister.

 

“I-I’m sorry, Yuko. I know the...I know the odds would be that you would come back, but think about your family when you are gone...Takeshi works at the railroad all day, no one would be watching over the girls, no one would have as much to harvest without your garden, and it’s going to be near impossible to stay well fed enough with the snow becoming heavier. There's too much at risk by putting a mother and wife into the grasp of the creature who’s been powering over this town.”

 

“Then why not just send another wife instead?” Takeshi inquires. 

 

“Because then that’s just giving that family the same pain we would have.” Yuko responds, she moves from her chair, leaving the table empty and wraps her arm around Takeshi’s, her free hand holding one of the triplets. “The least we can do is at least try, Yuuri is putting his own life at stake for all of ours, Takeshi.”

 

Takeshi’s eyes couldn’t bear to break away from Yuko’s, water builds up but refuse to fall. Istead Takeshi wipes his sleeve over his face and keep his gaze to the ground.

 

“Let’s go talk with the mayor and the council.”

———— 

Winter arrived several weeks ago, but the cold still bearable to work outside without complaint. Heavier snow meant colder days and longer nights, paths harder to tread. Leaving now is a good timing.

 

That’s all Yuuri thinks of on his walk through the woods. To his amazement, the mayor and council agreed to let Yuuri’s take Yuko’s place with the creature. It took nearly a day and hours reiterating the exact same points Yuuri explained to Takeshi beforehand, but eventually the mayor gave in to their request. At the very least, Yuuri bought some time for the Nishigori family and all the other married wives in his hometown, including his own mother. He shivers, unsure if his thoughts or the weather being the cause.

 

His steps crunch in the light sheet of snow beneath his feet, although being with Takeshi and old friend Celestino, it feels as though they can be heard for miles.

 

Takeshi breaks the silence,“Yuuri, do you have that book?”

 

Yuuri stares up ahead to the back of Takeshi, he may not see it but Yuuri nods and pulls the tattered leather rectangle from his belt.

 

“What do you intend on doing with that?” Celestino asks from behind, “I know you hope to stop the creature’s curse but how will the book be of help? Witchcraft?”

 

Yuuri shakes his head, he doesn’t need to. He knows Celestino is joking, but he needs to hear the plan again aloud to make it feel achievable, even if it’s his own voice. “While I’m away, I want to take as many notes on the creature as I can. When I come back, while I won’t remember my time there, I’ll have this. And then hopefully we can do something to free ourselves from them.”

 

That’s right, Yuuri wouldn’t be able to stop the curse, but it gave the town time and hope for surviving Winter in health. And should he be able to find anything of importance in regards to the creature, then he could assist in, maybe not stopping it, but ensuring that the endless loop of unwanted sacrifices could be in reach.

 

“Here we are.” Yuuri ceases his steps,only a few inches away from bumping into Takeshi. There isn't much choice other than to stand on his toes to look over Takeshi’s shoulder, despite knowing what he was talking about:

 

Before the three men laid a stoned path, what could have been hundreds,thousands, led up toward the north. It seems so odd to Yuuri to view it in person; each rock was a perfect circle,

as though chosen by hand. Who could have had the time to put that sort of effort into a footpath?

 

“We...have to leave here, you go the rest of the way yourself.” Yuuri looks at his friend, the moment came to say goodbye. And neither could guarantee that this wouldn’t be the last. Without a moment’s hesitation, the two share an embrace. “Thanks again for doing this. We owe you everything.”

 

With a pat on the back, Takeshi lets go of Yuuri and turns around, Celestino places a hand on Yuuri’s shoulder and gives a soft squeeze, “You’ll be fine. You’re a brave man, Yuuri.”

 

Yuuri wouldn’t place a single step on the stones until both his friends were out of sight, by the time the trees blind his view of the two, the sun sat due west. It’s going to be night soon, Yuuri knows he must be going.

 

———— 

 

When Yuuri walked the path he wasn’t sure what he would find at the end, certainly not a castle. Even from where he stood, Yuuri can feel the eyes of the gargoyles near the rooftops glaring at him. There stand several towers, only one with a light that he sees.

 

Tossing his satchel over first, Yuuri proceeds through the gateway, it’s locked with a chain, but loose enough where as Yuuri can simply slide in between.

 

The castle suddenly looks larger than when standing outside of the property. It’s an aged architecture, no doubt. Moss blanket the bricks which had yet to begin crumbling, the courtyard is but weeds and dandelions. It had lost itself many winters ago and it wouldn’t be finding itself this time around either.

 

The doors are rusted alongside the edges, the knobs, large bars, gold and still shine through, it feels as if Yuuri touched it and all it’s value would tarnish. As much as he desires to stay outside, Yuuri reminds himself once more to not keep whatever is in there waiting.

 

The door creaks loudly, his boots on the marble floor thud even moreso. The entrance introduces Yuuri to the foyer; it’s quaint, to say the least. Two more doorways agaist the walls opposite of each, a long red carpet decorates the floor up towards a mountain of stairs. Yuuri doesn’t even know where to go.

 

At the very least, his company must be known at once, “Hello? I-Is anyone here?” His call echoes over the castle, he may be in only one of likely dozens of rooms, but Yuuri can hear his own voice for miles.

 

There is no answer. Yuuri sighs, perhaps he has the wrong place. How could the creature his hometown feared possibly live in a place like this? But... the stoned path trailed all the way to it, no other abodes were visible to the naked eye during his walk. Maybe Yuuri wasn’t meant to come in Yuko’s place…

 

His ears hurt when barking breaks the sound barrier, Yuuri’s head flails all over the foyer, hoping to find the source; his eyes need to dart by the staircase again before he sees the noise-maker:

 

A poodle?

 

“Ah...well, hello little guy,” Yuuri sits upon his knees to be of relevant height to the animal, his hands gently scratching behind it’s ears as a greet.

 

He doesn’t even realized that all anxiety had melted away when he looks into the dog’s soft, dark eyes. It’s a pleasant surprise to be accompanied by a furry companion. This wasn’t what all the women in town were sent to accompany, could it?

 

“I see you have met Makkachin.”

 

Yuuri freezes in place. The dog sits in it’s position before Yuuri before a tap or two come from the stairs once more. The dog runs from Yuuri to there, Yuuri’s eyes follow until the animal stops and sits beside a pair of long legs. Yuuri’s gaze travels upwards until making eye contact with another man.

 

A man of silver hair, a set of bangs resting gently in front of one eye; one of two soft, blue eyes. Their shade resembling that of the sky before snowfall, they are icy, and yet they melt Yuuri’s insides. His skin is pale, as though a symmetric balance to that of how pale his hair is. And his smile, lips curl to a fine curve, the corners almost turning back in.

 

This may be the most beautiful man Yuuri has ever seen.

 

This  _ is  _ the most beautiful man Yuuri has ever seen.

 


	2. Restless Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri's never known intimacy like this before, but that's not a bad thing. Is it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, wow. WOW, I did not expect this much of a response when I posted this, but I'm exceedingly flattered and so happy that you guys enjoyed the first chapter. I couldn't stop writing last night and this morning, so here you all go.
> 
> Seriously, thank you. You have no idea how much your enjoyment of my story effected and means to me.
> 
> I hope you like it.

The man’s hand stretches out to Yuuri, “What is your name?”

 

His mind cannot process fast enough, as soon as the sensuous voice reaches Yuuri’s ear, he jumps up to stand, struggling to hold balance. The lack of composure heats his cheeks more than they had been. There no help in noticing the other man’s chuckle, either. As soft as it was, it sends shivers down Yuuri’s spine.

 

“Jumpy, are we?” he hums. Yuuri can feel the heat to his ears now, and they _burn._ This man is gorgeous, why would he be in this castle? With that face, no doubt he could travel anywhere he wanted, no questions asked.

 

“You are certainly not what I had expected to come.”

 

Eyes dart from the floor back to the icy blue gems, “What? You know….a-about me?”

 

The man scratches his temple with a single finger, looking perplexed, “Well, it is more common for a lady to enter through my doorway, I had no idea my next guest would…” His eyes drift slowly over Yuuri’s body, somehow it makes him feel exposed, “be a man.” He smiles again.

 

That way his eyes glossed over, even half open, Yuuri feels entranced by their shine. His lips have the perfect curves to them, Yuuri never knew lips could have those.

 

“What is your name, _dorogoy?”_ His voice penetrates Yuuri’s ears once more, he jumps again. Eyes darting all over the foyer to connect with anything but the man’s face again. Yuuri isn’t sure of how much more he can handle of it.

 

“I-it’s Yuuri...Yuuri Katsuki. I’m Yu-”

 

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Yuuri.” No hesitation is made from the other man when he takes hold of Yuuri’s hands. Steam surely is coming out of Yuuri’s ears by this point. “My name is Victor Nikiforov, I shall be your host. Thank you for keeping me company.”

 

Victor. A handsome name, a handsome man. Yuuri’s heartbeat suddenly calms over the hearing of the word. It feels as empty as his hands when Victor lets him go.

 

“Wait. Earlier you said you normally got women and …’keeping you company’....How does tha-”

 

“You have yet to realize my identity?” Victor’s head tilts to the side, “I am Victor, the recipient of your town’s visitors.”

 

No. No. No. No. No. That can’t be right.

 

“ _You’re_ the creature in the woods?! B-b-but you’re a human like everyone else!” His beauty’s immeasurable, sure, but that didn’t make the man a ‘beast’ or ‘inhuman’. Yuuri can’t help but think there must be a mistake with the situation, he’s kind, gentle, welcoming. No way this man could be the malevolent being causing turmoil over his hometown for nearly two decades!

 

Victor shakes his head, “Alas, Yuuri. I am not.” Those three words stop Yuuri in his place. Instead of confused and overwhelmed, he’s just confused now. He takes one last look over Victor’s person, believing maybe he missed some sort of characteristic at first glance, “H-how? D-do use magic or talk to spirits?”

 

Victor shrugs with a soft chuckle once more, “In a way, but that is not correct either. This—” he steps back for Yuuri’s vision to see him all at once, “is not my real body. I have been cursed with one like yours. Only a spell may break it.”

 

Yuuri’s eyes soften, “Oh...I see. Ah...what breaks the spell?” Victor give a wink, “Love.”

 

Yuuri nods— wait, what? Love? As in...kissing? As in that thing Yuko and Takeshi do in front of him to make him feel awkward? That thing his parents did _in order to make him?_

 

Enough was enough, Yuuri’s face bursts into a red shine as he takes a step back. Being in the same room as this man is nerve-wracking, being touched by the same man was flustering, but going onto the next level of intimacy, Yuuri needs to cross the line. He steps back, hoping to reach the door in a matter of seconds but Victor clearly has other plans.

 

With no effort he grabs hold of the closest of Yuuri’s arms and yanks him forward to make contact with his body full-on. “There is no need to be bashful. Many of the visitors before had not done more with me than a kiss.”

 

“K-kiss?!” The body contact suddenly makes Yuuri’s clothes feel tighter, he feels like he’s choking. The space around them both closes in and Yuuri’s body burns. He wants to yell, maybe even faint if it could get him out of this situation. He hears a soft laugh and his right ear becomes warmer than the rest of his face, “While I enjoy your expressive face, I only do such things with consent from my partner. Take note, I am not even holding onto your arms anymore.”

 

Yuuri’s look through their corners to see that Victor is right. There’s no grasp to keep the two so close, so Yuuri’s choice of remaining in place, is now on him. He stumbles to move away, but Victor is first to do so towards the stairs.

 

“Well, I’m happy you are here with me, Yuuri. I hope you like your stay. It’s getting late now so let us get to bed.” He’s only a few steps up the staircase when he turns to look over his shoulder to a still very stunned Yuuri, “Will you join me?”

  


“Huh?”

 

Victor passes another lovely smile Yuuri’s way, “Will you sleep with me tonight?”

————

It all feels so surreal; Yuuri doesn’t remember saying ‘Yes’, but he definitely didn’t say ‘No’ either. Victor’s charm, Yuuri wanted to resist it, but how can anyone refuse an offer to a man with a face like his?

 

Now here he is, sitting on a bed of silk, in his nightwear, waiting for his...host? Partner feels too...intimate. Yet Yuuri’s in his _bedroom,_ waiting to _go to sleep with him_. It’s as though Yuuri’s mind isn’t in working order. Why is making this decision? He could step out of that door any moment and find another place to sleep.

 

In that moment, as if hearing his plan, the door opens leading Victor inside. He himself dons a longcloth, lace trims the collar, the fabric leads down to this ankles; it’s just to sleep in, how is this outfit so enticing?

 

Victor moves and softly sits by the foot of the bed, being sure to give Yuuri his space. “You look good in that, but maybe I can offer something more comfortable?”

 

Yuuri’s ear begin to heat up, but he reminds himself to remain calm, “N-no, thank you. I’m fine in this.” Victor doesn’t protest, so suddenly Yuuri feels himself at ease. The rest of the evening should go without trouble, after all they could do is sleep until dawn.

 

“ _Izvinite, Yuuri.”_ Victor’s voice chimes. It’s directly beside him, as much as Yuuri wants to, he’s too afraid to turn his head. He can feel the other man’s breath on his nape, his heart sinks into the mattress and Yuuri’s ears fill with a buzzing noise. He might faint.

 

Makkachin shows no second thoughts before leaping onto the bed and pushes his head between the two males, wanting to be in the group. Yuuri is a tad surprised, but Victor happily presses his face into the fur. Makkachin stays still until Victor pulls away, then gingerly lowers his head onto his owner’s lap.

 

Victor laughs softly, “I suppose it is time we get some sleep ourselves. Right, Yuuri?” It’s natural to make eye contact with whomever you’re speaking to but, when Victor does it, Yuuri can’t help but feel he puts more effort into looking at him than is necessary.

 

————

It’s dark; there’s no telling what time it must be, all Yuuri knows is that it’s late. The silked linen covers of the bed feels like a cloud, as though Yuuri floats atop of it. There’s a slight shimmer of the moon through the window, it’s the only source of light available, not that there is much to watch on the bedroom wall. It’s a more relaxing position to sleep in, otherwise he’d be facing Victor’s form.

No way he could do that, even if the man is sleeping, Yuuri feels like the surrounding world is closing in on him, of course maybe that would be because Victor is hugging from behind.

 

Oh…

 

His arm wraps over Yuuri’s torso whilst the other lays against his back, he can feel breathing on the back of his neck, making the hairs stand straight. It takes a few moments to take in the feel and just when Yuuri feels just slightly adjusted, Victor’s chin rests on his shoulder. A small squeak exits Yuuri’s mouth.

 

“Please, do not be afraid. I shall not touch you anymore than I have if you feel uncomfortable.”

 

How many times now has Yuuri’s brain ceased functioning. The words from Victor sound genuine, yet his straightforward tendencies make it difficult to form a proper response. His opportunity to decline sleeping in the same bed went ambiguously, if he doesn’t say something soon, who knows how far this will be taken?

 

“...G-good.” Ah, that sounds so cruel, as though Yuuri’s sickened by Victor. That isn’t it at all, he’s never felt anything like his touch before, the sensation is compelling.

 

“I enjoy getting to know the feel of my partner.” Victor whispers just below Yuuri’s ear, he tries to sustain enough composure to keep from shuddering. “I enjoy knowing _everything_ about my partner.”

 

Partner, he kept using that word. Yuuri feels intrigued by what’s being said, though he doesn’t bother to move his head to get a better look at Victor. “So, all the women who have come before were intended to be—”

 

“My lover, yes.” Well, that explains why only single women were sent, as well as why the mayor had been so hesitant to send Yuuri.

 

Some pieces are starting to be placed together. “What _is_ the curse, exactly?” Yuuri asks. He can feel Victor move his chin away from Yuuri’s shoulder, instead his cheek rests against his shoulder blades, searching for a new source of comfort.

 

“I am told I can be rather full of myself, selfish, and misleading. Long ago, I made a promise with a woman I was unable to keep. I had only been thinking of myself and was never any help to her, so I was cursed for it. I have been given this form until I can change my ways and find someone who loves me.”

 

He sounds so lonely when he tells his story, Yuuri can’t help but sympathize; even with friends and family back home, he’s never felt any sort of special love himself, as though he were living his life alone. “But you seem so kind and beau…” His cheeks warm up, so he can only imagine how hard he’s blushing, how does he tell this man that’s he’s the most beautiful thing to walk this land? Yuuri clears his throat, “No one has been able to love you?” Victor shakes his head which rubs against Yuuri’s back rather smoothly, he feels shivers travel down his spine and he hopes Victor doesn’t notice.

 

“Not entirely. The women who have come before you may have felt an attraction to me, but part of the spell apparently _how_ I look. I have been told to be a very beautiful, attractive man. I may behave however I want and no one would mind. They never seem to get past my appearance, that’s what they are drawn to.”

 

That answers his immense beauty, Yuuri could never resist a man like him either, were he not so shy. His allure is unfathomable, no one in their dreams could ever picture a man like him, to meet him in reeal life, to feel him with theri own skin, it felt implausible. That’s what makes this entire situation frightening for Yuuri.

 

He has more questions, but he doesn’t want to drag out the night, or mae Victor feel more saddened than he may already. He limits himself to one: “How long have you been cursed?”

 

Victor’s head, his arms, his whole body doesn’t move this time. Yuuri takes note of that. He feels a small vibration from the back as Victor hums, “Too long. I cannot say for certain.”

 

It;s best left at that, this curse had arisen sometime when Yuuri was a child, he’s in twenties now. NEarly two decades, at least, but for all he knew Victor may have been a cursed longer than that. It had been long enough where Victor couldn’t remember, what did that say?

 

He releases a small breath and closes his eye, “I’m sorry this has happened to you.” Immediately after Victor’s arm wraps tighter around Yuuri’s torso, he choses not to comment.

 

“Thank you. Good night, Yuuri.” Victor whispers. Yuuri smiles, digging his head into his pillow.

 

“Good night.”

 

————

 

Bright skies blind Yuuri, even with his eyes closed. He has no choice but to open them come morning. His body is stiff but his mid feels spacious when he rises.

 

At some point in the night, Victor must have moved in his sleep since now he faced opposite of Yuuri’s side and had his arm over Makkachin. Yuuri’s can’t help but be a little thankful for that, now it means he can leave the bed without worry of waking Victor.

He doesn’t bother closing the door on his way out of the room, that itself would likely be loud. He walks gingerly over the carpet, hope his feet are as loud as he hears them being. All he wants to do is grab his book and write down everything he’s earned as of now about Victor. Yuuri reminds himself, that’s his top priority for now.

His booklet remained in his satchel last night so Yuuri now only needs a room to write in. He turns to the door left of the entrance back in the foyer, he hadn't the chance to see much of the castle earlier.

To his awe, the room beyond the door is the dining room; the ceilings rise for miles, as far as the table must be, and the walls on the opposite side is really a large window in place. Through the glass Yuuri sees the forest for miles on end, snow shields most trees from view, but the soft white is enticing, making for a peaceful scene. This room is good, Yuuri tells himself.

With a smile and a breath, he sits in one of many chairs and opens the book. He skips several blanks before reaching a far enough page smooth to write in. How does he even begin to describe this? So many intense emotions came up for Yuuri within just a few hours.

He supposes being frank and honest is the only way to clear his mind, so he begins.

 

_The creature is actually a human, not by his own choice though. It is all because of a curse it has itself._

_His beauty enchanted me the moment I saw him. I’ve never felt anything like I have when I’m by his side…._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've heard of this weird concept called "Sleeping" and I hope I made an accurate protrayal in the story, more or less. I've never experience it so tell me if I'm wrong.


	3. Reckless Responsibility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It shouldn't be this weird!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving fellow readers!
> 
> For the sake of a holiday, I thought it would be nice to update the next chapter. However, I'm just not too sure how to feel about this one, it's feels...off, and as a result, the next chapter will be a little longer.
> 
> Thank you all again tremendously for all the comments and kudos, this sort of love becomes my muse. So I hope this is a fun read.

Victor doesn’t wake for another hour, but as soon he does, he calls Yuuri to join him in breakfast. Despite the dining room’s size and the table’s length, Victor happily takes the seat directly next to Yuuri at the edge. He hardly touches the food before him, rather dedicates his attention to the awkward patron shifting in his seat.

 

“Yuuri, what would you like to do today?”

 

The man in question swallows hard, it's unclear whether it’s what Victor said or the fact he just taken a large bite, likely a mix of the two. He blinks several, hoping that somehow it had been his imagination hearing the question. “Uh..W-what do you mean?”

 

Victor raises an amused eyebrow, “‘What do I mean?’ I want to spend the day with you,” he leans in, “court you. And show you how much of a good lover I can be.” His eyes sparkle, illuminating what could only be assumed to be his free spirit; it makes Yuuri sweat down his temples.

 

Hastily, Yuuri breaks away from the sight,“W-well, before we do anything rash,” he swallows again, “we should talk and get to know each other. I don’t really know you, Victor.”

 

Rising to sitting straight in his seat, Victor’s playful ignorance becomes genuine, “Huh? But I told you about myself last night in bed.”

 

_ Please don't say ‘in bed _ ’, Yuuri thinks. He shakes his head implying Victor’s misinformed, but in actuality, Yuuri just needs to clear his head again from the multivocal comments. He needs to stay on top of his objective, he has to know more about Victor.

“I mean, more specifically, who you are. Like what you’re interested in, how long you’ve been in this castle, maybe even more about your life before the curse.” Victor’s eyes fall to the floor for the first time. Yuuri can’t help but flinch, maybe that hit a nerve, “i-if you want to…”

Victor lets out a small, nearly inaudible sigh, when he speaks up his voice holds placidity, “You really want to know me and what I am like? I see that you want an emotional connection with me,” he cracks a smile, chuckling lightly, “Hardly any of the women wanted such a thing with me.”

An elbow rests on the table and Yuuri leans into it as support. He’s reminded of  what he had said last night, his appearance is captivating, so that’s where the focus went. That’s no real attraction. Victor really wants to find his true love.

“All of the women who’ve come here are from my town, why us? Did we do something to you or the woman who cursed you?” Victor’s back lays against the chair, arms crossed, and eyes closed,  hoping to remember most likely.

“It was a matter of location, from where this castle is, the closest town is yours. That...was where I met  _ her _ . I cannot recall how the women started coming this way, but initially when no one is left, we would turn to another town. However, your population continues to grow.” 

The endless cycle returns to haunt Yuuri’s mind; it explains why it’s been happening for two decade. It is growing, any girl left back home is just a child or married now. By the time all the married women are sent though, the little girls would have grown up and they would be showed Victor’s way, by then there would already be the next generation and when they were through the first girls, that generation would be old enough to be sent too. The thought of the cycle makes Yuuri feels disgusted, it’s no different from using those poor girls for a false virtue. These girls lose a part of their life they would never remember for the sake of misguided courtship; the village is forced under this reign for eternity; Victor would ever find someone who loves him for him, not his looks. Even with his body, he has just as much false hope as the girls sent this way. Nobody ends up happy in the end. There is no end. 

“Victor, what’s your ideal partner? Perhaps, instead of random selection, there’s a way to understand what you desire. O-or maybe people need to spend more time with you, to get to know you for yourself. Maybe a past guest caught your eye?”

“You seem quite interested in my love life.” For the first time in a while, Victor smiles, he has an amused look in his eyes as he peeks out from his bangs. Yuuri blushes, it shouldn’t be possible to have choked on bread as much as he has this morning. He wasn’t even eating anything this time!

Victor leans forward, chin resting upon interlacing fingers. “Do you really want to talk about that, or would you rather tell me about yourself?”

Yuuri stares for a moment, that question catches him off guard. Despite all he’s said thus far, why can’t he find any words now?

“I know little of you, Yuuri, emotional connections go both ways.” Victor continues. He smoothly leans forward, further onto the table, and closer to Yuuri’s face. The glimmer in his eyes return, his silver bangs delicately shroud his left eye, spread enough so that Victor may peek through. Yuuri can smell him. Lavender, mint, and jasmine; again, he is the epitome of beauty.

His hand brushes against Yuuri’s, with no hesitation, he grabs it and bring his face inches from Yuuri’s, “I would rather we think about _ our _ love life. _ ”  _ Yuuri feels the small, gentle breeze of Victor’s breath against his skin. Following is delicate pressure just below his right eye; Victor kissed him on the cheek.

On instinct, Yuuri jumps from the chair. He doesn't move far, only up and towards the edge of his seat opposite of Victor, this man had really good grip. 

“What are you doing?!”

 

“It is a kiss,” Victor stands from his own seat, inclining to Yuuri once more. His eyes lock in on the wide brown ones, his head drifting straightward. With no tilt to his head, Yuuri knows immediately he’s aiming for the mouth.

Before Victor's lips reach destination, Yuuri’s hands halt them by fencing them between both men’s faces. It’s clear that Victor gets the message, as he falls back. However, his bemused expression shows he doesn’t understand it.

“What is the matter? You should not be embarrassed, I have kissed all of the women who have stayed with me. That is how a relationship starts.”

Yuuri’s head is spinning, every moment with Victor presents too many components to process in enough time. There's no best way to even begin on what just occurred in the last thirty seconds, “Y-you're not going to find your love by kissing everyone you meet!”

“The direct path is the fastest.” Victor shrugs. The audacity of this man, Yuuri almost regrets feeling bad for him. He clearly lacks patience, and carries no shame on his shoulders. Was it traits like this that brought the curse onto him?

Breathing deep, Yuuri slips his hand away from beneath Victor’s and stands straight. The air exits his lungs, his stomach settles, his mind is clear, “You need to take this more seriously, it’s not just your life being affected with your curse. Tons of people are clueless to what goes on here.”

The icy feel that fills Victor’s seem to sharpen at Yuuri’s statement. The blue iris fades and his eyes seem gray. His voice is steady, suddenly, acidulous as his tone seems to burn into Yuuri’s memory  “I  _ am _ being serious, perhaps it is the obscurity of it all, but I can't help but feel drawn to you.

“You are different, Yuuri. I felt something when I laid my eyes on you, and it was not because you are a man.” This change in demeanor, it should feel out of place, yet Yuuri’s captivated in the tension of the conversation. This side of Victor comes out seeming defensive, yet this change in playful behavior, it feels more vulnerable than anything else.

“Love happens when one makes it happen; it can happen in any form, even with how I look now.  You talk as though loving another, if in a short time span, is meaningless. Perhaps nothing does happen, must we regret the time spent together?” 

There’s silence, so he continues, “I express what I feel, there’s no sense in hiding because it offers no solution. I want to cherish whatever time I have with another, that includes you.”

Yuuri looks to floor with a sense of reproach, that may have been a bit offensive. He doesn't know each part of Victor yet, surely being cursed does make someone impatient; it makes him think of Yuko and the town. Yuuri closes his eyes, they don’t open immediately, Yuuri needs to say the next sentence with no bias, “I’m sorry, Victor. I understand that, I came here so someone I care about would be able to keep spending time with her loved ones.”

The blue slowly returns to Victor, his lips curl and he displays another fetching smile. “Thank you, but perhaps I did sound reckless earlier. Just know that it really means the utmost flattery to you,  _ dorogoy.” _ He ambles away from his seat and gently pats a Yuuri on the shoulder, who feels at ease once more. The two could easily get on the same page, if they can keep their emotions in line, then everything could work out in everyone’s benefit in the end.

Victor grins, “Now, I plan on having a bath.” He turns and tilts his head teasingly to glimpse back towards Yuuri, “Would you care to join me?”

With the heat emitting from Yuri’s face, he surely could defrost the entire forest, he takes a step back and aims for the nearest door, “N-not today.”  Yuuri staggers away, past Victor and in quite a mess. It’s just for the book. It’s just of the book.  It’s just for the book. It’s just of the book.

When Yuuri leaves the room. Victor yet moves from his spot by the dining table, he’s shocked, stunned, surprised pleasantly. No one had ever declined a bath with Victor before, yet this young man did so without a second thought. Sure, it had been likely from embarrassment, but his flirtatious banters couldn’t be resisted, until now. Victor can't help but smile bigger.

  
Yea. This one is different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like a little tension is stirring up between our boys.
> 
> Well, I hope you look forward to the next chapter after this confusing fiasco; it features appearance from our fellow figure skating friends: Yurio, Phichit, Christophe, and that's to name a few.
> 
> And until then, let's all pray for Makkachin until we find out next Thursday!
> 
> Have a lovely week and Thanksgiving everyone.


	4. Chills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things between Victor and Yuuri may start heating up, or freezing up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clarify the first half of this chapter, Yurio, Christophe, Seung-Lee, Sara, Michele, and Phichit are all based on different mythological creatures.  
> Yurio - German (Based off of the South Slavic being)  
> Christophe - Alp (A Germanic creature, think a mix between vampire and incubus)  
> Michele/Sara - Lupo Mannaro (Pretty much just Italian werewolves)  
> Seung-Gil- Korean Dragon  
> Phichit - Belun (A Russian spirit who guides lost travelers)
> 
> The original idea was that everyone be based off of Russian/Slavic folklore but that didn't fit in very well with their characters or the story, except for Phichit's, so they all ended up as creatures within/around their respective home regions.
> 
> I guess this is some multi-ethnic universe they live in. No one's complaining.

“This recent patron of yours gives me an unsettled impression.”

 

Frost slips out between Victor’s lips smoothly, he doesn’t want so say it but all of his previous guests have apparently failed to get his companion’s approval. It seemed to be near impossible to please the young (appearing) German. He wags his finger to the lad, “Yuri, be that as it may, this is my situation to deal with, not any of yours.”

 

Victor leans well-relaxed against an aging elm, the castle is a few miles back West and the sun will raise within due time. Surrounding Victor are not only the trees of the vast forest, but as well as several comrades. None of which were human, like he is now. It’s rare for any of them to let themselves be seen by human eyes, but for Victor, the five always made an exception. Cursed or not, he's still one of them.

 

Yuri’s brows furrow and he growls, “This misfortune troubles us all, also, Victor! Not a soul shall be at peace until the hour of your restoration!”

 

Did Victor really talk like that before? With all the maidens visiting him, he’s picked up on a slightly more casual way of speaking. That being minor, Victor ignores the German and turns his head to make contact with Seung-Gil.

 

“Do you have a question about my newest guest?” he asks. Seung-Gil gives no response, rather his eyes blink slowly, implying a message for Victor to leave him out of the conversation. Victor shrugs, “If you do not want to contribute, perhaps you should not have come today.”

 

“I suppose we didn’t give him much choice in the first place,” a sultry voice arises from behind Yuri and his tantrum. Fellow Alp, Christophe, steps into the circle, brushing his finely trimmed claws through his hair. Despite the sun not yet rising his eyes still shimmer, no one knows his secret. “Without you, Victor, the forest isn't much of a titillating place; if there’s any hope of getting you back home sooner, we all needed to take a part in it, even if it meant punishing an innocent town.”

 

“That town defiles the definition of ‘innocence’,” Yuri spits, “They deserve judgement for bearing a home for that malfeasant witch.” Victor raises his hands defensively in hopes for calming down the smaller being. Christophe smiles at the humorous scene, a finger tapping gently on his cheek. He peeks through the corners of his eyes to observe the others: Seung-Gil’s gaze remains to the snowy ground beneath while lupi mannari Michele and Sara watch Yuri and Victor’s banter. They don’t wish to admit it, but Christophe is sure he is well aware of what each one is thinking. “Speaking of, tell us more about your house guest, Victor. Little Yuri may have a negative view on the fellow, but I don’t believe the rest of us have heard enough to pass our own judgement. Tell us, what have you two done so far?”

 

His smirk is enough to inform Victor he’s merely teasing and eager for their game of gossip, but the question still catches Victor off guard. Yuuri has been in Victor’s life for only a week now and even then, Victor’s flirtations are limited; so far he’s been permitted to as much as a kiss on the hand. He’s been wanting to do more, but he wants to respect Yuuri’s space, as well. There’s no use in scaring the man off when all of Victor’s attention goes to him and how he goes about his day. Yuuri has a sense of urbanity, guest or not, he treats Victor with the utmost respect; he didn’t need any excitement to be entertained, Yuuri’s content with the castle’s architecture, he explores and admires; Makkachin enjoys being around him; he loves hearing stories about Victor and he seems to enjoy passing time writing in the leather journal he brought. It’s endearing, really.

 

Victor blinks and shakes away his thoughts to return to the moment, Christophe, and likely the others, still awaited a response. A slight cough to clear his throat, and Victor starts, “He is a tad shy, so the two of us have not done much. For the most part, the two of us will simply talk.”

 

“...Not much?” Sara speaks out at last. “Normally the guest is all over you within the initial week.”

 

“All the more motivation to exile that swine from your home and send him back to the village.” Yuri proclaims. His arms cross, frown refusing to fade, frost slips through his nose implicating his losing breath from frustration. Michele nods, “Agreed. I don't like the idea of a human male being the forest. A majority of the population seem attracted to women, and that includes Sara.” With an arm wrapped around his sister, Michele makes his opinion set in stone.

 

Victor shakes his head, “Maybe I am not as direct with him as I have been with previous guests, however, his company makes me happy. Being around him is satisfying enough as it is now.”

 

“Victor, dear, I'm  sorry to be the one to say it, but the curse will not be broken with amity. If it were, I think we would have fixed it by now.” Christophe sighs. Sara, Michele, and Yuri all nod. Maybe Victor wasn't feeling love, but there’s no guarantee to say otherwise, none of these beings had fallen in love before. This concept is unfamiliar to all of them. “I still want this to last through, a bond like this is rare for me.”

 

“What purpose would that benefit for you though?” The rest turn, Seung-Gil head rose from the snow and his eyes link with Victor’s, “You’ve been like this for decades, stop prolonging your outcome. If this human is of no help, then wipe his mind and send him back to where he belongs.”

 

This is unbelievable, just about everyone wants Victor to let Yuuri go. No...he couldn’t. Whenever Yuuri and Victor are together something blooms inside Victor, it’s been ages since he’s felt a variety of emotions, so there is no certainty as to what it may be, but he wants to keep it going. He wants whatever he feels with Yuuri to last forever.

 

His first instinct to simply walk away and return to the castle, but there’s no courtesy in that so Victor goes by his next thought and shakes his head, he let’s out a small breath.

 

“No.”

 

He bows his head, shakes Christophe’s hand, kisses Sara’s, pats Yuri’s head and makes his leave. None of them follow.

 

———

 

By the time Victor makes it back, Yuuri would likely be awake; what would the two of them do today?

 

“I have to say, what you did back there took guts, Victor.” There’s no need to stop, flinch, or look around for Victor knows who spoke to him, or even to feel uneasy. A voice like his is always welcome.

 

His figure smoothly fades into visibility and greeting Victor face-to-face is an endearing smile. Phichit isn’t the type of being who would let himself be seen unless he felt it truly necessary, to humans or not. Necessary to Phichit always meant help or kindness to someone else, so Victor gladly welcomed him to follow on his walk.

 

“You heard what I had said to Seung-Gil and the others?” Victor inquires, he wants to be sure of just how much Phichit listened in on. Said boy nods, “He sounds nice, your new friend I mean.”

 

Victor's brow raises, that means Phichit had been there from the beginning, from the moment Victor found Yuri at midnight up until just moments ago when he made his exit. “Y-you mean, you overheard what I said about him?”

 

Phichit nods again, “When you described him, your body loosened up. Your voice got more lively. More so than I’d seen in ages. I don’t know him myself, but he’s on my good side.”

 

Victor doesn't want to seem like he’s laughing at Phichit, but he doubts the boy even has a bad side to him, “That’s happened before, Phichit. Yuuri’s not the first person to be spoken of favorably.” He can’t admit it to anyone, not even Phichit, but what Christophe and the others said is starting to get to Victor; maybe he does only see companionship in Yuuri, maybe he wouldn't break his curse.

 

“I know, but there’s more… _passion_ with this one.” Phichit remarks, he stifles a laugh. “I don't know if you noticed, but when you were talking about when you two met, you started shaking your leg a lot, like you wanted to bounce around.” Victor looks the other way, maybe he had been a bit excited to relive those feelings when he first saw Yuuri.

 

“I think there may be something there between you two.”

 

Victor stops in his tracks, Phichit takes only a couple steps more before ceasing himself. He looks over his shoulder, his smile softens, it becomes more...sincere. “From what I understand, humans have strong attachments to each other, and they never want to be separated. Whenever I help one out of the forest, they always talk about how eager they are to see a beloved one’s face again.” His whole body turns around to face Victor face-to-face, “It’s like a similar situation with you and your new friend: You don’t want to stop seeing Yuuri’s face.”

 

For a moment Victor feels like his heart stops. With this boy, everything always seems so clear, it’s amazing. What he said is true, and frankly, hearing just one voice be on his side give Victor comfort. His lips break into a thin smile, letting out a small ‘thank you’ before continuing back home.

 

“You know, you are always welcome to join our conversations, you are not a stranger to us. There is no need to eavesdrop.”

 Phichit laughs.

 

\--——

 

When Victor returns to the castle he finds that Yuuri must already be up and at it considering he isn't in his bedroom asleep with Makkachin by his side.

 

He inspects a few hallways before spotting him staring out a large window.

 

“ _Dobroye utro, Yuuri_ ,” he sings, with a lacking response from his guest. He links eyes for a moment and nods, then proceeds to give his attention to the outside. Confused, Victor glances out to see the entertainment; it’s snowing, like it had been since midnight. The castle grounds are draped with the frozen flakes and the downfall stays light. “Have you never seen this before?”

 

Yuuri shakes his head, “No, it’s not that. It’s just...rare to see snowfall where someone in my town isn’t anxious about a blizzard. Cursed or not, I always loved this time of the year. It’s more peaceful than people think.”

 

There’s a shine in Yuuri’s eye, something Victor has yet to see. His heart is pounding hard again, it’s taking all of Victor’s strength to refrain from reaching and pulling Yuuri into a tight embrace. To appease just some of his urges, he makes a grab for Yuuri’s hand, clasping it within both of his; that’s enough for Yuuri to look away from the winter show.

 

Victor smiles, he just thought of the perfect way to spend today with Yuuri. “Come with me, there’s something I would like you to see.”

 

  ———

 

His hand never lets go of Yuuri’s when he takes him outside to the garden. Whilst the snow carpets would be flowers, Victor leads Yuuri a little farther past them, until they come upon a thin, seemingly endless sheet of ice.

 

“There’s a river right here by the castle. In the springtime, sometimes, I sit by this and watch Makkachin swim in it, well, jump around in it.” He laughs.

 

Yuuri blinks, “So...why did you bring me here?”

 

Victor releases his grip and moves forward, one foot taps against the ice, then all of Victor stands atop of the frozen water. Yuuri jumps and he can feel his muscles tense, that’s too risky! He could break through any moment. He hears the other man laugh and he gives Yuuri a wave, “Do not worry, the ice is thick enough to not be broken.” He drags his right foot away from his body and glides over to it’s place. He repeats it again and again until it appears that he’s gliding on the ice, he makes one quick spin before reaching the other side on the river, then returning back to Yuuri.

 

“You enjoy watching wintertime, I thought you should enjoy it first hand, too.” He winks, one hand leaves his side to reach out for Yuuri’s, who takes it. Victor tugs his arm gently to bring Yuuri closer to the edge, his empty hand slides down Yuuri’s back to the curve for balance, but it gives Yuuri a few shivers, luckily he can blame it on the low temperature if Victor points it out.

 

“Be sure to distribute your weight,” Victor advises. Yuuri can feel his feet slip over the losing traction beneath him. There’s a slight push from behind him and Yuuri slips further onto the ice, his arms flail out to sustain a balance and he’s mixed on whether or not to keep his knees bent.

 

“Stay low! Just drag one leg, after the other.” He hears Victor’s calling in his ears, when the motion starts to come to him. Almost naturally.

 

“Lower your back, you need to keep holding yourself up as you stay down!” The contrast confuses Yuuri but he doesn’t want to look stupid in front of Victor. Feet start crossing over one another and pushing themselves as Yuuri attempts  spin like Victor had. He nearly trips over his own feet.

 

When he hears clapping, Yuuri breaks from his concentration, he looks to Victor, who seems so pleased with him, “That was very good!” His own feet touch the ice and he nudges himself over to Yuuri’s place. “Will you do it again? With me?” His fingers massage Yuuri’s palm, the sensation comforting him even more. Yuuri is the first to grip onto the other’s hand and he pulls on Victor to slide over more the ice.

 

The wind is blowing in Yuuri’s face and it makes his eyes water, yet it feels as though he’s flying. Serene, peaceful, rhythmic, even hypnotic; this sort of movement tranquils his whole sense of being suddenly.

 

The two men drift further up the river thn from where they started when Yuuri lets go of Victor to attempt another spin. He succeeds. With another, there’s a slight crinkle beneath him. Yuuri stops for a moment, despite the cold air, he cn feel his body warm  little. He catahes his breath while he looks for Victor, who wves to him som feet away. “Is everything alright?”

 

Yuuri nods, instead of another slide, by reflex he begins to walk in Victor’s direction. With no other warning, the ce gives way under his foot and Yuuri falls over, crashing against the frozen water.

 

“Yuuri!”

 

Fortunately for both men, the ice cracks but only a minority breaks beneath Yuuri’s person; his legs up to his thighs sit in the remaining water in the river with the waist and up remain dry, but sore. Victor pulls Yuuri off from the river and onto the sturdiness of the snowy ground. Victor lifts his head so he may look at him at eye level. A part of Yuuri’s face turns a dark pink from the impact but no bruise or blood is visible.

 

“Yuuri? Are you okay?” Victor worries. Yuuri had never been knocked out and he smiles at Victor to display a form of integrity still in him from the mishap. “Yeah, I guess I didn’t distribute my body that time.” He releases a slight chuckle from his throat as hope to calm Victor, frankly for Yuuri himself, the surprise simply raised his endorphins, but his legs are throbbing too much to do move.

 

Victor’s eyes soften at the happy display Yuuri gives him. His hair is mussed, his forehead, cheeks, nose, and ears are a bright red, he wonders if they burn; and his voice is so calming. Despite what Yuuri plans on saying, Victor refuses to let go of his face, a thumb brushes over Yuuri’s cheek, then floats down to the curve on his bottom lip. Victor can’t feel the cold beneath him, he doesn’t feel his ear ring, or his heart beating profusely. Everything is silent, and the world pauses round him. His neck stretches and his head drifts forward until his lip land against Yuuri’s.

 

They’re soft. Very soft.

 

After a moment, Victor pulls away and lifts Yuuri to his feet. “We should go back to the castle and warm you up.”

 

———

 

Yuuri can’t feel anything. Yes, his back is sore, as are his legs and the parts of his arm he landed on, but, as a sensation, there is nothing.

 

His stomach isn’t churning, his heart had yet to beat any harder than since the ice broke. Nothing since Victor kissed him. The two didn’t say anything on the walk back to the castle, and all Victor had done since was leave Yuuri in the spare bedroom he had taken up. His fingertips and his nose are numb, but at least that’s because his body temperature readjusted itself to the warmth of the indoors, why does _he_ feel numb?

 

Yuuri’s hand drags over his face, perhaps he’s still in shock from half his body submerging in gelid water. It had been so sudden, Yuuri hadn’t even realized until now that his glasses were missing. He sighs, he could make do without he supposes.

 

All he wants is to sleep this off…

 

 ———

 

He invited him out to do it, Victor feels so stupid. The winter breeze is usually a pleasant feel on Victor, now it just stings his skin.

 

He keeps sighing, watching the air around him materialize to frost before fading into oblivion. The words Christophe and Seung-Lee haunt his thoughts. Yuuri had no reciton, and Victor felt as if he had been out of his body when it happened, but he meant that kiss.

 

He had meaningful kisses before, he feels a spark nearly every first time. Yet now he feels empty,. No, not even that. He didn’t _feel._ What does love feel like? These moments of nullity shouldn’t be occurring, should they? This is his experience to have, but he’s never encountered this before either, so how is Victor supposed to react at times like this?

 

When Victor returns to the room, Yuuri is asleep. He doesn’t want to wake the poor man, but Victor can't bring himself to walk away either. He really should check for any wounds. He walks and stands beside the bed, considering to examine his body anyway. In a way, he does when he catches himself looming over all of Yuuri’s sleeping form. In no time, his gaze rests back on Yuuri’s expression.  The time at the river took a lot out of him and it shows, Yuuri never looked so relaxed before. His hair has been brushed back, clearing view for his eyes and forehead. His skin looks smooth in the dim light the room offers. He’s noticed before, but there had never been time to admire Yuuri’s lashes; they were long and dark, They shade over his cheeks, and they become noticeable when Yuuri's eyes widen, especially when he blushes. Victor muffles a soft chuckle. Oddly enough, in this moment, Victor feels content with what he has, especially with this man.

 

Phichit was right, he never wants to stop looking at Yuuri’s face.

 

“You know, Yuuri, since you arrived, I always wondered what you looked like without your glasses. ….” he whispers. He lets his mind free as he leans over the sleeping boy, brushing his nose against his cheek gingerly before his mouth presses against Yuuri’s.

  
His lips are so soft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of feel as if this story gets a little more confusing with each chapter. If anyone feels confused or just wants to know something feel free to ask.


	5. Heartwarming Shivers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moment by moment, Yuuri learns a little bit more about Victor. It's not that it's overwhleming, it's just...hard to take in all at once.

_ He seems to do anything that will make his guest happy. He treats them with respect, encourages them, anything. It’s as though he grants their wishes. _

 

_ Just yesterday, he had taken me to a frozen river to ‘experience’ Winter firsthand. I never really had the chance before, and Victor had decided this all in a moment. When we got there—  _

 

Yuuri stops writing; all the memories in flow immediately to the aftermath: the ice breaking, then the— his cheeks flush. He should keep his mind on the real topic, so he flips to the next page.

 

_ Victor is still very direct with feelings and mannerisms. It’s clear to me that he really wants this curse to be broken. Yet, at the same time, he puts his guests first; there’s seems to be an understanding that both people ought to be happy in a relationship, but as Victor has told me, he only wants the guest to be happy. _

 

_ I have trouble believing that. _

 

_ Victor has told me numerous stories about his past guests, but he never seems nostalgic about the memories, there probably was some enjoyment in those moments, but nothing I think Victor wants to cherish. _

 

_ What bothers me the more than this though, is the fact that Victor never talks about what he was before the curse. It seems like a sensitive topic for him, so I’ve mostly tried to allude to it, yet nothing ever comes out of it. I know he remembers it, it’s just  _ _ why _ _ won't he discuss it? I want to know Victor bette- _

__  
  


There’s a click at the door leading Yuuri to instinctively close the book. His eyes widen when they lay upon Victor, water dripping from his clothing, his nose and cheeks bore a pale shade of pink, hair frozen still, presumably from the cold weather outside. Melting snow on his shoes confirmed it. Astounding, even in his drenched form, something illuminates in Victor, even when wet he’s breathtaking, the water simply made him shimmer.

“V-Victor, what happened to you?”

He gives no immediate response, instead his right arm raises to display Yuuri his eyeglasses. The ones lost after the river scare. It’s only been a day without them, Yuuri didn’t pay much thought to them. Had...Victor gone back to retrieve them?

The balance in the bed is thrown when Victor sits down at the edge by a sleeping Makkachin. Yuuri’s eyes go back and forth to his glasses and the man holding them. There’s nothing Yuuri can say, he can’t find the words, though Victor likely doesn't need to hear them.

“I was afraid, that without them, you would worry or be unable to do as much.” His voice is low, torpid. A lot of energy had been taken out of him.

“There was no need for that, Victor, I can see well without them. You didn't hav-” Victor’s sudden approach interrupts his comment. He leans forward, a hand cups Yuuri’s cheek, who closes his eyes, expecting. He’s pleasantly surprised when several seconds pass and nothing touches his lips. Rather, light brushing over his temples and the bridge of his nose tell Yuuri what is going on. He hadn’t realized that Victor was wearing gloves until the leather brushed his skin.

When he leans away, Victor gives a warming smile, “There we go.” The heat in Yuuri’s cheeks raise, but there’s no stopping when he smiles back. “You didn’t have to do this, but thank you.”

Once again, Victor gives no reply. Rather, a hand slides across the bed and grips onto Yuuri’s. Their fingers interlace, the only warmth now building just within small crooks of both men’s palms. The lacking body heat is worrisome, so Yuuri prompts himself to stand off the bed, Victor’s hand still in hold. “You’re going to get sick until we warm you up. Come on, let’s go to the parlor.”

He refuses to hear a word from Victor before both of them, and an excited Makkachin following in pursuit, leave the room.

———

With a fire lit and blankets draping over Victor, Yuuri finally feels like he can relax again. He falls into a chair with a slight flinch, he had forgotten about his ankle until now. All of his fixation had been on helping Victor that Yuuri must have blocked out the pain when arriving to the parlor. Victor, being the one for keen eyes, doesn’t miss it.

“Your ankle is still sore, is it not?” He rises from his own chair to before Yuuri’s and kneels down, “Let me look at it.” He lifts the ankle, grasping at several spots, the feel makes Yuuri gasp for a split second, before he decides against fighting it and permits Victor’s inspection. “There is a little swelling, but nothing that could harm you. I think it will be better in a few days.”

Victor kisses the tender ankle leading Yuuri to warm up the way he wishes Victor will. When he looks up to link eyes with Yuuri, Yuuri can’t help but notice the grey in his eyes. “Which is good, because I want to see on the ice like that again.” Victor rises to stand, yet he doesn’t return to his seat, he continues to loom over Yuuri. His arms stretch over to lay over the back of the chair. Suddenly Victor practically towers over Yuuri, his lips curling into a smile that melts away everything Yuuri had been worried about before. Victor’s mouth purse open, “You should know, you are very cute without your glasses.”

Yuuri can feel heat building, not just on his ears nor his cheeks, but in all of his physical being; he feels it in Victor’s too, the space in between both their bodies would likely cause some sweating to occur, were Yuuri not doing that already. Victor’s knee lifts and places itself gently atop of one arm of the chair, providing the right leverage for Victor when he drifts forward and brushes his lips over Yuuri’s ear, “But know you are just as beautiful with them.”

When he stands back up, Yuuri doesn’t respond, he can’t. He isn’t able to think very well with his heart pounding and pulsing through every part  of his body. His mind can only process one word and he let’s it out: “Victor...”

For a moment, that’s all that fills the room’s emptiness. Until Yuuri gathers his nerves and stands, his back is arched and his eyes glow, “Tell me about what you were  _ before _ .” It’s not asking, the way Yuuri vocalizes the sentence is enough for Victor for to understand Yuuri wants answers. His eyes close, but he nods, maybe he shouldn’t be hiding so much from Yuuri anymore.

Victor lowers himself until his sits by the fire, petting the relaxed Makkachin to his right. He crooks a finger to prompt Yuuri to sit beside him, who does without hesitation.

“For nearly a century, this forest has been my home. I did not start living here until I had been cursed. Makkachin and I found each other sometime after that, and he has been my best friend ever since.” Yuuri nods, choosing to follow along for now.

“These woods, for ages now, have provided a home for many a creature, be it animal or nonhuman.

“Before, I had lived everyday like it was a game. Truth be told, I used to enjoy leading travellers who came into the forest in circles.” His face fall, he becomes solemn once again. “This forest is important to all of my kind. So we, like many other beings, are very protective of it. We are particularly hostile towards humans.” He turns to lock Yuuri’s brown eyes with his own icy blue, the last comment he gives sends a chill down Yuuri’s spine.

“Maybe I played that game too much,” Victor continues, “by mistake, I had let myself be seen by a human, one who asked for my help. She needed guidance out of the forest and back home, I said I would help her, only to guide her further the opposite way. Back then, I thought it would be amusing. Most humans have difficulty finding direction in the forest already, but when someone like myself could rebuild the world around her, one would be lost forever most likely.

“We separated not too long after that. It was not but a few weeks later I had heard she was still lost in the woods, someone lead her my way and she found me. She did not stop yelling at me, telling me it had been my fault she lost her way, her belongings, everything.” He breaks away from Yuuri’s gaze, turning attention to the bright fire.

“As I also learned, she had never made it to the town she was searching for, and she lost her chance at marrying the person she loved. As a result, I needed to know her pain. She cursed me, to this form, until I could find my own love. After all these years, stuck in this body, stuck at this age, I have never been able to find it.”

When Victor finishes speaking, Yuuri doesn’t give a reply. The two sit on the floor and stare at the fire for ages, hours possibly. Yuuri can't tell, his perception of the world around seems suddenly distorted. In this scene, it’s just him and just Victor. He wants to feel the connection with him again, so he moves himself closer until his arm rests against Victor’s, and his hand lays atop of the other. Shifting his weight to his side, Yuuri leans over and gives Victor a small peck on the cheek.

When Yuuri retracts, Victor trns his way, the hand not beneath Yuuri’s flies from the opposite to cup Yuuri’s cheek and he moves in and Yuuri gasps.Without wasting a moment, Victor's mouth opens a little wider to stretch out his tongue into Yuuri’s own mouth. His brushes against Yuuri’s tongue, urging him to join in. Regardless of where he sat on the floor, Yuuri could feel his legs trembling. There is definite shock emerging from the kiss. Emotions Yuuri cannot comprehend, ones that overwhelm him more than anything before had. He isn’t sure how to be handling this, so why isn’t he pushing away?

If Victor is a liar, then how much of his story is true, if any at all? Are all the feelings he has a result of the curse? What is genuine? What? What? What is...Victor? He wants to ask before he forgets again, “Victor...What are you really?”

Victor stares for a moment, wide eyed. Yuuri can feel the man inhale deeply before releasing the air and looking into his eyes, they’re grey again...

_  
“I am a fairy, Yuuri. I’m a Blud.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hey, everyone. Hope you like this new chapter, more or less a fairly short one but we'll be getting more background on Victor and the others in the next one; which, by the way, I've been writing alongside this chapter so you can expect that one in just a couple days.
> 
> Thank you all again for your comments, kudos, and overall enjoyment with the story. It warms me up to know people out there are fond of this.


	6. Unhelpful Assistance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri and the others can't quite reach a conclusion, or an agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A more or less short chapter, but since the next chapter is going to be important, I want to say, maybe, this is okay?
> 
> Anyhow, we get a little view into Yurio and the others' perspective on the curse.

Wintertime is a more enjoyable part of the year for Yuri, it provides solace and silence. It’s also much easier to manipulate the elements when they are already present for him; should the despicable town fail to send a new guest to Victor’s castle soon, Yuri would be sure to provide a more significant incentive their way.

 

Yuri sits beneath a favored tree, listening to the tranquility of the snowfall. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last when he hears the snow crush and his eyes open to two standing furballs. He sighs, there goes a quiet afternoon to himself. He looks up to Michele and Sara, “What reason do you have to come halt my freedom from disturbance?”

 

Michele rolls his eyes, it can be such a pain to listen to this guy speak sometimes. “Something is going on with our ‘friend’.”

 

Yuri raises a brow, “You need to specify beyond that. Which one?” Michele didn’t consider the others friends, he only says that ironically. As for those ‘friends’, it could mean any one of them: Christophe’s purpose is to make mischief for anyone when haunting their dreams, when he wasn’t fondling one; if Seung-Gil didn’t focus he could easily be spotted by humans; Victor, he, well, he had just been problematic for some time now. 

 

“We saw Victor scavenging in the river earlier. Apparently his new guest had lost something when they were apparently over there earlier.” Sara explains.

 

“Hm,” Yuri hums, interest is setting in now, “Did he acquire a new one?” Hopefully Victor had moved on from the previous patron.

 

“No, it’s still the male.” Michele scoffs.

 

Apparently not. Yuri jumps to his feet, his temper rising as fast as he does,  “You mean to tell me Victor resumes to accommodate that swine in vain?” Both Michele and Sara nod and the latter continues, “We offered our help, but he didn’t take it. I was certain he was going to catch his death back there.”

 

The German shakes his head disapprovingly, his patience is wearing thin, it has been for about a dozen years now. “Perhaps Victor had grown peevish of the individual and desired to remove himself from the vexation.”

 

Sara growls, “That is not a joking matter, Yuri!” Her ears furrow down, fangs widening, and hair raising on ends,“Victor never had this sort of behavior before!” Michele wraps his arms over Sara’s waist to pull to her closer to his own body, in hopes of calming her; he whispers in her ear, likely telling her to ease up.

 

Yuri can’t help but sigh, they could be such a pain to him sometime, if they and Victor act like this, he can only imagine how a full-fledged human must be like. “Then, what are you requesting of me?” His right hand raises up and swirls a finger around, the snow falling nearby spin around in midair until enough collects up into a small ball, which Yuri lets fall and rolls around betwixt his fingers. “Perchance a harsh storm aimed towards the town once more? Forewarning that they are making poor choices in offerings?”

 

Sara shakes her head as she unwraps herself from Michele’s embrace, “Quite the opposite, Victor may have found the one. We need to find Christophe and Seung-Gil to tell them too.”

 

Yuri’s hand stops and the ball of frost separates; he couldn’t believe what he was hearing from the woman, Victor’s nonsense must be getting to her, “Absurd. If Victor is going to find a befitting human as a paramour, ideally, shouldn’t it be one that is worth his time and doesn’t barrage him with questions?” 

 

Michele raises his hand to steady Yuri, “Wait a moment, now. That is not entirely fair. Victor may be acting like this now, but for all we know, it’s a wave of emotion he’s going through. It may wear off in a couple days. I doubt that this is as major as it appears.”

 

“I don't know about that. Has Victor risked his well-being as a human for another one before?” Sara inquires, “He knows very well that that body can't sustain the same sort of limits that he could before. For him to submerge nearly over half his self in winter waters? Something must be different about this visitor.”

 

Michele and Yuri don't argue with that; Victor had never been the type to help in returning someone or something. From what they heard about this person though, it all just seemed odd to them. Sara continues, looking piqued, “I wonder what the human is like, Victor’s face lightens up when he talks about him. He said he just wants to see the person smile when he returns his possession.” She herself giggles with content, as though she were there in the tender scenario.

 

Yuri turns and walks away from the duo, “I cannot listen to this drivel any longer. I will address Victor myself upon this matter if needed.” He is able to take a few more steps before he feels a warm sensation on his shoulder, Michele ad stopped him. “Yuri, let’s not make any rash decisions yet. Let’s find Christophe and Seung-Gil first, they may know something we don’t.”

 

Yuri has his doubts, but these were rather stubborn lupi, when their minds were made up, they won’t fit for a compromise. It takes all the strength in Yuri to keep from shoving away Michele, but he reluctantly agrees.

 

———

 

Christophe shakes his head when asked about Victor’s doings, “No, I haven’t seen him since we were last all together.” Seung-Gil nods. The former shrugs before continuing on the conversation, “Had I known, though, I probably would have visited the person myself by now. I would love to see what goes on in his deepest dreams~” he purrs. There’s a sense of discomfort in the males, but Sara doesn’t seem to pick up on it. “I understand we want the best for the sake of our forest, gentlemen, but we need to think about the best for Victor as well. Should we talk to him more about this?”

 

Michele looks at Sara, Yuri doesn't bring it up, but the way the man looked at his sister sometimes is rather obvious. “If this is different from the others, then maybe we don't interfere. Victor is going to need to take lead in his own life eventually.” Sara smiles at her brother’s good point, he returns the favor.

 

“Had we let Victor keep his course of action, he would never return to himself. He would carry on with a blithe eternity in an outlandish body until the end of time.” Yuri proclaims, “His lax personality would never put forth the endeavor of finding a proper ‘lover’.” Ugh, the word sounds so odd to him, this whole concept is rather confusing for him.

 

“Even if it does not end accordingly with this one, Victor will move and have the town send another.” Christophe imposes, Yuri’s eyes sharpen, none of these dullards just couldn’t grasp the situation.

 

“That isn’t how this works, we prompt the town.” He points to himself, “be it a storm—”

 

His hand motions to the twins, “harming livestock—”

 

Then to Seung-Gil “their crops—

 

“Or their own mentality.” The concluding gesture aimed in Christophe’s direction.

 

Seung-Gil looks Christophe’s way, “That is true; Victor would have left this be, despite how it made him felt. He has always been complex that way.”

 

For a short moment, the five beings don’t do a thing; they don’t speak, they don’t move, none even look another in the eyes. Victor isn’t the only component in the situation that is complex, a lot is: how does one constitute this notion of “love”? If this does work out, would it last? And, if Victor didn’t return to his normal self, how much longer could any of them prevent more humans from moving in on their homes? This had been a stressful time, not just for Victor, but for all of them.

 

Christophe's claw raises up, “Let me talk to Victor and the guest, I can get into his mind. When I find something, I shall alert you all.” Michele and Sara glance at each other, almost suspicious; Seung-Gil gives no response, as per usual; Yuri scoffs, but voices out “Very well.

 

“This town should deem themselves blessed, unless there comes further adversity, it can remain free of our actions.” His arm straightens out, pointing towards Christophe,  “But for just three days more, then I demand answers.” Christophe nods, while Yuri considers Michele and Sara stubborn, nobody ever wanted to tell the lad he is much worse. Christophe rolls his neck to loosen it up before his wings emerge from his back.

 

“No need to worry, surely I will have something by morning.” He bids adieu to the others with a rather flirtatious seeming wink before disappearing into the white, cloudy sky. Seung-Gil leaves next, without much of a farewell, whilst Yuri tells the final two to leave so that he may return to his peace.

 

Sara pouts, Michele frowns. None of them had seen Victor like they had earlier, it was okay to be worried, but sometimes, their caution went to unnecessary limits. It’s mutual that no creature in the forest could really explain what this ‘love’ is, but Victor had been given the opportunity, so it was his realizations to be made.

  
Wasn’t it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love all these people so much. Christophe has plans, Yuri has plans, Michele and Sara have doubts, and Seung-Gil just doesn't want to be caught in the middle of it. What fun.


	7. Miserable Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth reveals itself. Whether they wanted it to or not.

“Your ankle looks much better,” Victor leaves another kiss upon a protruding tendon above Yuuri’s foot. The man on the receiving end smiles; these past weeks, especially the recent days,  he’s gotten very used to, as Victor calls it, the ‘healing process’ given to him. In fact, as of late, he welcomes it. Being with Victor feels natural now, he still feels shy sometimes, but Yuuri doesn’t hesitate to spend a day by his side nor does he regret it by the end.

 

Victor stands up, he pours two cups of tea, giving one to Yuuri. He takes a seat on the arm of the chair beside Yuuri, he lowers down and his chin rests atop of Yuuri’s head. It’s odd, Yuuri hasn’t been shying away from him when he would get close, at the same time, it’s uplifting. Yuuri’s hand brushes over Victor’s holding his own drink, in that moment, their eyes lock and Yuuri could swear he sees a shine in the other man’s otherwise gray eyes. He doesn’t pay mind to the colors anymore.

 

Smiles are exchanged, it remains quiet between the two until Yuuri unwillingly lets out a shy yawn. It’s a tad embarrassing to ruin the moment like that, but Victor doesn’t seem to mind, considering his response is a soft chuckle.

 

“Were you unable to sleep last night?” he asks, being given a nod by Yuuri.

 

“I don’t know why, but something just didn’t right when I was trying to sleep. Everytime I closed my eyes, I didn’t feel...comfortable. Something must be on my mind.”

 

Victor smiles, “Maybe it means it is time for the two of us to sleep in the same bed again.” Yuuri chuckles, cheeks turning a light pink. Somehow the steam from his tea feels cooling against his already heated skin. He never thought that Victor’s comments would be considered an endearing trait, he kind of wants to counter the comment to see the man flustered. “I don’t know about that, then I think I would start making  _ you  _  lose sleep.”

 

The way Victor's eye’s widen is priceless, he knows he can’t, but Yuuri really wants to laugh. While there is never a chance of a stutter to come from Victor, there is hesitance in his body before he makes his next move.

 

He brushes his hand over his head and leans closer to Yuuri’s face, “You do certainly have a way of seducing me.” A hand hovers over Yuuri’s, taking his cup from his hand. Victor leaves his seat from the arm of the chair and places both dishes atop of the fireplace mantle. “Though perhaps we should not be too eager,” he looks over his shoulder to the seated man, “I do not want you to end up anymore sore than you have been already.” It’s the concluding wink that freezes Yuuri in his place, he knows he’s lost this round of coquetry. Alas, he’s gotten better at the game at least.

 

“Yuuri, may I ask you something?” Victor’s body never turned back around, he remains standing before the warming fire, staring at it. The request takes Yuuri by surprise, it makes him realize, too, that ever since Victor told him he was a fairy, Yuuri had ceased asking his own questions.

 

He nods and a moment of silence follows. Realizing Victor couldn’t see that, Yuuri speaks out, “O-of course. What is it?”

 

“Are you...are you happy here?”

 

What? That’s such an odd question; if Yuuri wasn’t happy he likely would have tried to go home long ago. Is Victor unhappy with him being here? No, that couldn’t be it. Victor easily has the power to send Yuuri back to his town if he wanted. The two of them wouldn’t be enjoying themselves as much as they were. Victor wouldn’t be as attentive as he had been, right? Yuuri wouldn’t be laughing so much or be as confident as he has been this entire time if he wasn’t happy.

 

“Of course I am, Victor. Why would you want to ask that?”

 

There’s a small hum from Victor’s mouth, “I just do not want you to think you are a prisoner. Please, know that you may leave when you wish.” This can’t be real. Yuuri isn’t hearing this, he doesn’t want to hear this. He  _ won’t  _ hear of this.

 

“Thank you for telling me that, but there was no point in doing so. If I did want to leave I would have said something long ago. Even now, if I wasn’t happy, this wouldn’t be the way I would act.” He pauses, waiting for Victor to turn around. He doesn’t.

 

“Do you miss your family?” The man asks. Another odd question, but it makes a bit more sense than the previous. Yuuri calmly replies, “Yes, I do. However, I am a grown man, they don’t need to be in my life everyday. And if I wanted to leave, I could just as well go and visit them then come back right?” Yuuri knows he’s right, he just wants Victor to look at him. He doesn't turn around, though. 

 

Yuuri’s patience is wearing thin, “Victor, I haven't felt anything like this in ages. I don’t know what it is, but there’s no denying that it’s because of you that I feel this good. This...alive. Are you trying to tell me that you don’t want me here?”

 

Victor. Turn around.

 

There’s no response again, and Yuuri doesn’t want to deal with this. He stands from his and marches directly behind Victor, “Talk to me! Look at me!” Yuuri’s hand grabs hold of Victor’s shoulder and it seems to set something off in the other man. In an instant, Victor’s entire self turns around to Yuuri and his arms wrap over him. The man’s strength shouldn't be surprising. The grip tightens with every second until all of Yuuri presses against all of Victor.

 

“Of course I want you here. A part of me has just been afraid this has all been too good to be true. You are right, Yuuri, I have never felt anything like I have with you.” Yuuri’s ears burn, his hands tremble, there are pulses pounding against Yuuri’s chest, Yuuri can’t tell if it’s Victor’s heart or his own. It’s so out of rhythm, it may be both.

He feels Victor’s hands travel over all of his back, as though being sure all of Yuuri is there, in his arms. “I do not want you to think I am a bad person, that is why I gave you that choice. You never had to be put in this situation.”

 

Yuuri’s eyes are stinging; every part of him that Victor touches suddenly feels as though it’s burning, a soothing warmth though. Every brush of the finger reminds Yuuri that this is all real for him too. “It was my choice to come here.” An arm raises, hovers over Victor’s back before Yuuri lets it fall onto him. “And I don’t regret it.”

 

This man had shown nothing but kindness to Yuuri; it’s hard to believe this is who everyone back home is afraid of. If they could really me this man, this….being. Yes, Yuuri couldn’t deny that he was the same, he still reminds himself that the reason he came was to take Yuko’s place. To find a way to stop Victor from his so-called ‘terror’. Things change though. That doesn't matter. Not anymore, not now, nor will it. The only fact with any meaning to Yuuri is that Victor is his. The only point in time to dwell on is now. He has never felt this close to someone before.

 

His free hand drifts over to one of the other man’s biceps. It never occurred to Yuuri how rough and dry Victor's arms are, considering how soft every other inch of his skin had been. In fact, his whole skin seems so smooth, it’s surprising to Yuuri that it would ever be so cracked. He feels Victor’s body shift  as he lets go and his cheek brushes against Yuuri’s. He can feel the roughness there too; why would the man cursed with perfect beauty have start having bad skin? Victor’s skin must not be very compatible with the cold season.

 

“Thank you. I am happy to have met you, Yuuri.” Odd, he can hear Victor’s voice perfectly, so why is his vision blurring over him? Shaking his head, Yuuri reassures himself by telling himself he needs to put his glasses back on. He turns around to the small table beside one of the chairs which carried the teapot from earlier, as the glasses return to their rightful place, Victor continues, “Well, I suppose I shall start cooking dinner.”

 

Yuuri is about to offer his help when he turns around, but is stunned by what he sees. His sight still remains a tad blurry but he sees enough of what’s in front of him: scales layer over another portraying skin; it’s white, a clear, almost pure shade of white. Elongated limbs, thin as dead branches stretch over the fireplace. Yuuri isn’t directly next to it, but he’s sure it has a foot or two compared to his own height. It’s too fuzzy to be certain, but he sees the round head ofthe thing, balancing impossibly over it’s stick of a body, tilt to a side. There’s nothing on it to give it character, no mouth, no ears, no hair. Just a set of eyes. Two narrowing beads staring down on this terrified human.

 

What on earth is this? What happened to Victor? 

 

Perfect vision or not, Yuuri can’t stand the sight of this thing. His knees weaken, giving way to let his body fall to the floor. He shuts his eyes, hoping to block the image now burned in his head and screams.

 

“Yuuri? Yuuri!”

 

——— 

 

There’s no way of telling, but in due time, Yuuri’s eyes open again. He slowly creeps his head upwards. The first thing he sees is the fireplace, the fire has extinguished and the surrounding area is empty. He makes a brief note in his head that his vision is clear again. The next thing he gets is a glimpse of white, his heart skips a beat, but his face comes in contact with a gentle caress. Victor’s hand. Yuuri immediately looks up, Victor’s face. Understandable worry is planted over his expression, Yuuri can see his eyes begin to shine. Blue.

 

Victor lifts Yuuri by the shoulders and onto his knees before giving a proper embrace, “Thank goodness. What happened? Was it from the lack of sleep?” Yuuri doesn’t move, he can feel all of Victor shiver over. He should be the one doing that. “Did you see it?” His throat is trembling, he can hear it in his own voice. Victor doesn’t let go, he doesn't even loosen his arms. “See what?”

 

His eyes are stinging again, “T-that thing, th-that…” his voice lowers, hushing, “monster.”

 

Victor doesn't give an answer, not a single muscle in his body makes a move upon hearing Yuuri’s comment. The younger man’s mind keeps repeating the scene, he can’t help it, nor can he bear it. He holds Victor as tears suddenly rush out from his eyes, “Oh my god, Victor!” His face buries into the man’s shoulder, his nails digging into shirt fabric. Victor’s left hand pets the back of Yuuri’s head gently, remaining silent. He lets Yuuri take his time in releasing as much of this shock as he must be able to take until the sobs become quiet. He waits longer then too, until he can feel Yuuri’s breath flow against his neck, informing him that Yuuri is trying to regain himself.

 

Yuuri takes one last breath, inhaling a bit of jasmine and mint. He pulls away from Victor just so that he can look at him in his entirety again. Victor helps him stand and the men go upstairs.

 

“You may be getting sick,” Victor comments, “You should get some rest.” Yuuri nods when they reach his bedroom, he opens the door but doesn;t enter. “Victor, would you sleep in my bed with me tonight?”

 

Understandable, Yuuri is clearly shaken up by whatever he saw. It would be cruel to say no, not that Vicor wanted to. “Of course, Yuuri.”

 

When the two lay in bed, neither look at the other; backs face each other as the men stare at the wall on their respective side of the room. Yuuri hears Victor’s soft breathing, but he himself doesn’t fall asleep immediately, deep down, he really doesn’t want to. He’s almost afraid to close his eyes.

 

What was that thing?

 

——-

 

Winter air is harsh enough to some, but when the wind is added on, most people never really want to be outside. Victor isn’t one of those people, he finds the chilling air soothing, the wind . Something about the frigid night is peaceful, perhaps the silence, perhaps because it feels more like Wintertime than at any point during the day. Who could say? It makes for the perfect time to think. So there Victor stands, over his balcony, leaning on the banister and staring into the forestry abyss. 

 

It had been easy enough to sneak out of the room when Yuuri fell asleep, when Makkachin entered the room, Victor slid out of the sheets, letting him take his space. He’s surprised Yuuri fell asleep at all after that reaction in the parlor. What could have made Yuuri act like that out of the blue?

 

He’s certain it had to do with his sleep, the idea of it being an illness is really just to bide Victor time. He’s certain he knows who’s doing this, too. The only being left in the forest who could invade a human’s dream.

 

“Christophe!” He yells back at the castle, if the Alp wasn’t in Yuuri’s room, he would still be likely roaming the castle grounds. Sure enough, Victor is right, near one of the towers a pair of black wings spring out. Attached to them is the sensual Alp, Christophe, jumping out and slowly hovering down to the balcony before Victor. 

 

“Good evening, Victor. I’m surprised you knew I was here.”

 

“Good evening to you, Christophe.” No matter how upset, Victor would still remain a gentleman, “I had an instinct suggesting that you would be.”

 

As though it can feel the sudden tension, the wind blows harder than it had been this night, it causes Christophe to shudder, so he’s forced to retract his wings. Victor, on the other hand, stands still and unaffected by the strength, “May I assume you have ‘met’ my guest?” Christophe tilts his head, looking as though he didn’t know who Victor is talking about. Victor doesn’t care, he’ll play along,  “He has not been getting enough sleep recently. I fear they are  _ nightmares,  _ ones that are becoming too real. Unfortunately, he saw something terrifying, while he was awake just a few hours ago...Christophe? Have you been ‘intruding’ on him?” 

 

A claw presses against Christophe’s chest as he softly gasps, “I’m offended, what makes you think I had something to do with it?”

 

The other man raises an eyebrow ,“There is only six of us left in the forest, Christophe, and you are the only one capable of interacting with human sleep. Also, let’s not forget the fact you were just on my rooftop.” 

 

The Alp shrugs, “Can’t I come visit you now and then?” 

 

Victor glares, “None of you ever come near the castle.”

 

“How do you know that your boy doesn’t just normally have these sort of hallucinations and scary dreams?”

 

“Given the fact that he has been living with me through all of Winter, I find that near impossible to believe.” Victor remarks. 

 

Christophe chuckles, “Maybe he’s been good at hiding it from you. The both of you do have your share of se-”

 

“Did you do something?!” Victor shouts. His hands clench into fists, and his stance changes; knees bent and his back arches, looking ready to pounce upon the answer given to him.

 

Christophe doesn’t flinch, he doesn’t blink, he doesn’t even give a smile. Regardless, when he speaks, that sultry voice of his emotes smugness, “No.” Victor’s stance changes again, this time returning to his former upright position, he feels remorseful for having yelled at a friend like that.

 

“If I’m honest, little Yuri and the others did want me to…’intrude’ on your guest,” Victor’s eyes shoot back to the Alp’s face, “but I need to wait until nightfall. You know that. When the sun is up and the human is awake I have no power over them.”

 

So Christophe didn’t hurt Yuuri, initially, that still leaves Victor confused though, “W-what did Yuri ask of you?” The other being, smiles, “When I inspected his dreams, I would have to learn whether or not this man thought of you and if he is truly enamored, but now…” he smirks, a chuckle earning it’s way out of his mouth, “I suppose we have our answer.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Did you ever ask your guest what he saw? What this ‘monster’ looked like?

 

The wind and snow couldn’t compare to the ice running through Victor’s veins in that moment. No. Yuuri couldn’t have seen it. There was fear when Victor was told about it but...it shouldn’t be possible. This cannot be true, Victor doesn’t want it to be true. He wants an answer, but not this one.

 

Christophe smiles at Victor, licking his lips, satisfied. He moves to sit over the banister rail direct next to Victor, “Let’s not forget who’s been called a beast for several years now.” In no time of hesitation, Christophe let’s himself fall backwards and off the balcony. Victor doesn’t to look to know the other’s trick, he knows Christophe opened his wings before hitting the ground. He hears his wings flap above him. He’s amazed that he can hear it so clearly, considering the rest of his body had lost all function.

 

———

 

By morning Victor returns to the bedroom without suspicion, he doesn't fall asleep though. He can’t find the comfort in doing so, the time spent before Yuuri wakes is spent petting Makkachin. He wasn’t sure what to do now.

 

“Victor, good morning.”

 

Through the corner of his eye, Victor watches Yuuri sit up and stretch his arm. He smiles at the human, “ _ Dobroye utro. _ Do you feel better?” Hopefully, he can still pretend it’s a flu. Yuuri pauses for a moment, his eye open wide, then, slowly, his arms sink back onto the bed. He shakes his head, “Not really. I got some more sleep, but that thing was stuck in my head all night.”

 

A hand presses itself over Yuuri’s hand, “It still may be an illness.” Victor claims. Yuuri doesn’t buy it though, he pushes away Victor’s arm and brings his knees up to his chest so that his arms may rest on them.

 

“I don’t feel sick, nor did I last night. Whatever I saw had to be real. It was…” He lets out a deep breath, even his breathing has shudders, “It was too lively be fake.”

 

Victor stays quiet, he can’t really think of anything that could fix the situation. He’s still trying t understand all of it. He knows what Christophe meant when he left earlier, but how could Yuuri have seen it without them doing anything? And why did Yuuri start seeing him like this again?

 

“Victor, you said that even though most of them are gone, some other creatures still live in the forest,” Yuuri states; Victor jumps, did he know about Christophe? He is a smart man.

 

“Is it possible that one of the could have gotten into the castle?” Yuuri asks. That’s right, Victor never said who or how many creatures still lived in the forest. Yuuri doesn’t know a thing about the others and what they’ve done.

 

“Ah, tha-that is possible.” Victor nods. Yuuri didn’t piece it together yet, would it make sense even if he did? He can’t bring himself to lie to Yuuri though, but there’s no way to tell him the truth either. Not given from the way he reacted.

 

Victor remembers what Christophe asked him earlier, if he ever asked Yuuri what he saw looked like. Maybe, in the slightest,slightest chance, that it wasn’t what Victor eared. At the very least, it's worth trying. Even if all he can rely on is hope.

 

He stands from the bed, “Yuuri, I understand that it had been a frightening moment, but could you explain what this… ‘thing’ looked like?” It pains him to use the term ‘thing’. It’s so demeaning.

 

Yuuri opens his mouth, his voice is raspy and it quivers, “I-it was white. Nothing b-but dry, rough, skin, it looked like…” He takes a look at his left hand, closing and opening it again, as though testing that it still functions, “it had been burned.”

 

Victor remains still where he stands, his heartbeat becomes harder, he almost feels sickened by the pressure against his ribcage. He can feel his knees shake, but his maintained balance and posture makes it impossible to tell.

 

“I don’t know what it was,” Yuuri continues, “but it-it had these... _ soulless  _ eyes, and claws,” he grabs his own shoulder, “with nails that could dig into your skin.” He begins shivering again. Makkachin, worried, pokes his nose against Yuuri’s legs. He lowers them down so that Makkachin may rest his head in the man’s lap.

 

“Where was it? When you saw it. Was it on the ceiling? Floating above you?” Victor knows the answer but maybe...Just maybe...

 

“It was where you were standing, as if it took  _ your _ place…”

 

There it is, the conformation Victor could say he needed when it isn’t true. More than anything, he had just heard enough. Enough to stop this conversation and enough to tell the others. This whole thing had been too good to be true. He lets out a sigh and turns around to exit the room, when just passed the door, he stops.

 

“I am sorry, Yuuri.”

 

“Sorry? For what?”

  
Victor looks over his shoulder, in a flat tone he responds, “It’s time for you to leave.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, we kinda jumped from a 2 to an 8 in terms of seriousness in this one, huh?
> 
> Up until the last portion of this chapter, I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. Again, though, if there is any confusion or just general questions, please don'y hesitate to ask. Sometimes my writing gets muddled.
> 
> Also, for the record, it's going to be a little while until the next chapter, I'm going out of town the week of Christmas to visit family and they don't have the best internet connection. Heh, I'm choosing the perfect point in the story to pause, aren't I? However, if I keep things written down, this it shouldn't too long after I get back to post.
> 
> So, until then, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays my dears. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.


	8. Endearing Heartbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When in doubt, the easiest thing to do is just play it safe. It's the easiest, but that doesn't mean it still isn't painful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! I have about one hour left before this god-forsaken year is over. Thank you all for waiting so patiently for this chapter, I'm sure caused a bit of anticipatory emotions with that last chapter. Well, hopefully, things should be returnign to a timely basis again. Starting with chapter 8, please enjoy.

“You are not safe here, Yuuri. If you return to your hometown, none of the creatures here in the forest will follow.”

 

That may be the fourth explanation Victor has given him, each one makes sense, sure, but it doesn’t explain why this is all coming from nowhere.

 

“I still don’t understand, Victor. Is the thing that I saw  _ that  _ dangerous?” Yuuri asks, he remembers Victor telling him how most beings in the forest didn’t want humans trespassing in their homes, but would they really go as far as hurting them?

 

“Yuuri, please.” Victor looks at him again, this time giving the man his satchel, “You must consider yourself lucky that nothing serious had happened.” Not yet at least. He’s certain Christophe will inform the others of last night. Knowing Yuri, he would either barrage Victor with questions about this curse, or worse, go after Yuuri for being afraid of what he saw, amongst other reasons. Besides, it will be better this way, Yuuri may have enjoyed Victor’s company, but if he didn’t like the  _ real _ Victor, then he shouldn’t have to be forced to look at that for the rest of his life.

 

Yuuri’s eyes widen, this entire morning has been a mess, and he isn't’ sure how to be processing this situation anymore. He trusts Victor, yes, but this seems so out of nowhere. “B-but you know the other creatures, right? Couldn’t you just talk to them?

 

“I’ve tried before, we all have our thoughts set. Including myself, you should go back.”

 

“I won't. You’re not making any rational sense, it feels like you’re hiding fro-”

 

“Yuuri,” Victor turns, when their eyes lock together Yuuri can’t find the same gray shades that formerly flowed in Victor’s irises; this didn't feel right, even the blue rings don't make Victor shine as they had before. 

 

“When you first arrived, what was your intention?” A stern, low voice questions Yuuri. He gulps, “T-to help my hometown.”

 

“And to do so, my curse had to be broken, which only love could do.” Victor’s brow raises, inquiring Yuuri’s comprehension. There’s a hesitant nod before the man responds,“Yes.” Yuuri isn't sure he understands where this is going. Nor wants to.

 

When Victor’s head turns, breaking the contact, Yuuri knows his response will be bad. “I just do not think you can do that. There is no use for you to keep staying here with me.”

The twinge in Yuuri’s heart is slight, but the sensation in of itself is enough for him to want to vomit. There’s no use denying that both had their own motives for doing what they have...

 

But it's different now! Yuuri came to Victor in order to protect Yuko and his home, but now...now he  _ wants _ to stay with Victor. He can't pinpoint when or why that started to change, but he knows in his heart to be true. This whole time too, he thought Victor had felt the same. “So, what now? Does this mean Yuko is going to have to come here now? Victor, she has a family who needs her-”

 

“You do not need to worry about this ordeal anymore, Yuuri.” Victor gives another fake smile and hopes that Yuuri believes it long enough. One hand rests on the handle of the foyer’s door, no motion follows it however.

 

“You have made me happier than I could have ever imagined. That is all I could have ever wanted.” That isn’t a lie, Victor never would have thought for a moment he could feel what he does, not even before as a Blud. But, as history has taught him, Christophe, and the others, their happiness isn’t likely to ever last. In order to make the most of the moment, his free hand grabs one of Yuuri’s and gently tugs him forward.

 

“Maybe I am not meant to find love, perhaps the woman casted a spell never meant to be broken. And my fate is nothing you or those other humans should endure. Nothing will happen anymore. Please know your town will be safe from here on.”

 

His porcelain fingers brush away a few bangs to clear space on Yuuri’s forehead for Victor to kiss. It’s gentle, soft, and very brief. Probably the shortest one they’ve shared since Yuuri’s arrival. In a quick glance, Yuuri sees Victor smile— a painful one he feels like— before he spins around and passes the doorway, behind he hears Victor's voice echo.

 

“There is not a thing for you to worry about anymore, Yuuri.” 

 

He turns around to refute Victor’s response, but…

 

It’s gone.

 

The entire building had disappeared into nothing; there hadn’t even been a metallic slam to the castle door. He turns his upper body back forward and loses sight of the gated fence that had once been where he entered through. Trees and nothing more circle him, now Yuuri just stands in a vast, empty forest.

 

———

 

This can’t be right, there was a stoned path every woman spoke about. It’s said to be only a little over an hour’s length from his hometown. So where is it?

 

Yuuri can’t help but sigh in languor; why did he think coming into the woods was a good idea? For all he knows, his home is on the other side of the forest. Maybe it’s better this way, what would Yuuri even say to his friends and family when— and if— he returns? ‘My efforts were in vain?’ ‘Sorry everyone, for relying on me to do something?’ For once, Yuuri didn’t look forward to coming home. Why  _ did  _ he need to go home now?

 

“Would you like some help?”

 

Yuuri’s head swings back around to find a young man; dark skinned, mussed up hair, black garments, a warm smile.

 

His mouth opens to respond to the man, put he can only conjure up a weak croak from his throat. He had been so surprised to see another face in the forest, especially one so human. The other man chuckles softly and repeats himself, “Would you like some help? You’re lost, right?”

 

The shock quickly but weakly drains from Yuuri’s body, when he catches up to his thoughts and the questions register in his brain he finally releases a nod. “Y-yes, please.”

 

The other man nods as well, “May I know your name?” His hand reaches out in politeness and Yuuri, without thinking, grabs it and shakes. “Yuuri.” 

 

The other laughs, “Interesting, I have a friend named Yuri. …. I’m Phichit.”

 

“I don't see many lone travelers in the woods. In fact, it's usually rather dangerous.” The man looks roughly around Yuuri’s age, he had heard stories from his elders and travelers alike about the dangers of the woods, and that was before...him.

 

The stranger shrugs casually, “You could say that I like to move around a lot, and help others. Why aren't you following that rule?” the man inquires, not in a judgmental way, he expresses genuine curiosity, as though Yuuri’s life story is one for the ages to be passed down from generation.

 

“I-I was on my way back home, from...somewhere.” Huh, where had Yuuri been? Oh, that's right, “You see, something... bad has been happening where I live, a-and I wanted to see if I could help. But...plans didn’t go the way I had hoped so, now…” Yuuri’s face begins to warm; this is embarrassing, he can’t recall his exact reasoning for being where is now, and is giving this Phichit person the most unimpressive story to behold.

 

Phichit raises his hands as signal for Yuuri to stop, “No need, I can see this is a stressful situation. But I think I can help you get home. Where are you from?”

  
“Uh..a small town named Hassetsu.” Phichit nods, with little time after, he immediately responds, “Got it, we need to head East.” Wow, this boy must wander the woods a lot to know that.

 

As he follows, Yuuri feels that his mind is wondering, but he cannot recall a single thought in his focus. Odd, his mind seems so...bare.

“So, you mind telling me more about why you’re here alone?” Phichit breaks into Yuuri’s trance. He raises his head quickly from his feet to look at the other traveler. “O-oh, uh, like I said, something has happened to my town, we’ve had a few bad things happen for a long time now-”

“Like a curse?” Phichit interjects. The accuracy nearly causes Yuuri to stumble, and walking through the thick piles of snow was proving difficult enough. He continues on through though, "Y-yeah. Whatever is causing it comes from this forest," he feels so stupid, he knows what causes the curse, so why can't he recall it, "And I came to see if I could... do something." Now he could hardly remember why he came in the first place! What is happening to him?

 

Phichit's index finger taps his chin, pondering, "Could your supposed curse be caused by a thing or a person?" That's right, it's the creature that's been cursing his town, that's what he came here for. Yuuri nods, this person knows more than he thought. "Y-yes! I must have come out here to visit them!...I don't know if I did though..."

 

Yuuri falls silent once more, Phichit is beginning to detect a pattern with their conversation. He's rather used to repetition from all the previous humans who Victor sent back home. He knows what questions to ask and what not to ask, most of the time is he just likes hearing a new perspective on the treatment. However, this is proving to be more informative than he thought, before he had assumed this was another lost human treading the woods for a new home. He didn't think this would be the human everyone had been talking about the entire Winter. He needs to poke into it more, he wants to learn more about the person he is sure is for Victor. And the fact that this man can't seem to recall even meeting him enlightens Phichit to caution of what had occurred.

 

"What do you know? Can you remember anything at all from being here? A sound, or a voice, maybe a face?" Yuuri shakes his head, releasing a lengthy sigh. Phichit sighs as well, but silently so as to not draw suspicion. He breathes in deeply, holding in the icy particles from the cold air around him when Yuuri opens his mouth again. "All that comes to mind when I try to think of anything is this sense of yearning, like there's something that feels nostalgic, and I want to have it back."

 

Phichit smiles softly, "My guess then is that something good, great probably, happened here." Yuuri gives a quizzical look to the lad, "How can that be if I came here for something so crucial for my town's safety."

 

"Don't think too hard into it," his hand rests on Yuuri's shoulder and remains there for a few steps before Phichit stops in his place and a bright glare hits Yuuri's eyes.

 

"Here we are. I believe this is where you were going." Phichit is right, lower down a dirt trail from up the hill stands Hassetsu. He recognizes the houses architecture, the field of brown cows, and the river which flowed beside it. His heart beats faster for a brief moment after staring at the river, he must be thirsty, he tell himself. As much as he wants to find his house, he turns around to his guide and gives a smile, "Thank you so much for helping me."  
  


"Happy to do it," Phichit replies, “I’m sorry that your plans didn't work like you had wanted, I'm sure that it gets better soon.” Yuuri makes his last eye contact with Phichit, funny, his eyes were so big and white, it's almost as if he had no pupils. Who does he know that has that?

He ignores the burdening question before looking back at his hometown, "I hope so. I feel so unfinished. And whatever, if anything, I found out there helps my friends, then it was worth it. It kind of feels like it was, I can't let it go. Whatever I;m feeling, it  feels like something I shouldn’t just give up on. No matter what.”

Phichit smiles, “You two are meant for each other.”

“What was that?” Yuuri’s upper body turns around to look the lad again but he sees nothing. All he is stares at are the empty trees leading into the deep woods. From the outside looking in, no one would ever think there was all kinds life within it.

\------

“Yuuri!!” His mother embraces him tearfully when he walks through the front door. Her grip is tight, he can feel her shaking.

 

"Yuuri's back?!" Mari jumps from the next room to see for herself. When her eyes set on her younger brother, she follows in her mom's footsteps, tears stream down as she runs over to hug the young man. With both women hugging him to no end, Yuuri simply stands and lets the moment happen. There;s no reason to fight, he's missed them too.

Mari is first to let go, she regains her composure through a few deep breaths then stares dead-on to Yuuri's face, "First, do you know how long you've been gone?" Yuuri's head remains in a trance, his single response is a shaking head. Their mother releases Yuuri and, along with his sister, widens her eyes, mouth agape before telling "Nearly three months!"

 

The number creates Yuuri to make the same expression as his female relatives, "W-what?!" That can't be right, it only felt like...nothing. Yuuri can't really set a time frame for his time in the woods. His lack of memory is starting to bother him, was this how Mari and the other girls felt after returning home? The only named girl in question continues, hesitantly, "Do you remember anything?" The question feels like a punch to the stomach; his one job, the only thing he needed to do out there, and he couldn't do it. It's frustrating, more than frustrating! It's haunting, torture! There were too many emotions flowing through Yuuri that he didn't know how to process them. The pressure in his stomach churns, his hands tingle and burn in anticipation to throw something, teeth clenched so tightly they'll surely chip and crack. It's too much, too much to handle in a single moment, the best response right now would be to shut off his feelings, which, following a deep breath, Yuuri does.

 

"No." A saddened aura fills the room, Yuuri and Mari's mother takes her son's hand once more and pats it, reminding him she's still happy to see him home. He smiles, but only for a second, “Don’t tell anyone else I’m back yet. I'm going to be bombarded with plenty of questions I won't be able to answer, and I need some time to rest."

 

"Of course, dear, but may we at least tell Yuko and Takeshi? They've been worrying nonstop." Mother asks. Yuuri nods, they deserve to know at least, besides, he can trust them to keep a secret. 

 

The women leave the room and return to their respective rooms in the house, when Dad returns from the shop in he evening, he'll want to hear everything Yuuri just told them. He doesn't look forward to that. After all those months, and what would he be able to show for it? A sore ankle-- probably from all that trudging-- ,a satchel wet from melted snow and that tattered old journal.

  
  
The journal.  
  


He still has the journal.

  
In a burst of energy, Yuuri dashes to his room, drops his satchel, looking for the hunk of paper and leather. When he finds it, his hands brush through the thin white sheets to find a perfect page to start from. Suddenly his once lethargic body is again refilled with eager relief-  
  


...but it doesn’t last; his smile falls when the recent pages he’s written in become illegible. Odd symbols and scratches dictate the pages over whatever records Yuuri had written before. He flips to the first page of the book, it’s his handwriting, it's literate. He returns to the (last) page he had written in: impossible. It's nonsense,  cryptic glyphs laying on the paper that Yuuri could never use anymore. 

A surge travels up his cheeks, eyes are straining to stay open. Water streams down against his burning skin,  it doesn’t make sense anymore. Nothing does. He doesn’t know why. He feels like he should, but he can’t identify it. Why is he so devastated? 

Why? Why?

  
Why can’t Yuuri stop crying?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was so hard to write, and not just because of trying to make things make sense, or from getting back into the groove of writing after vacation. It hurts to see people I love cry, fictional or not. 
> 
> As we can see, things are turning a little more despondent for Yuuri, will things start looking up in the next chapter? We'll have to wait another week to find out.--Ugh, I sound like a TV western narrator.
> 
> Anywys, thank you again for the patience; thank you for taking the time to read this; and most, of all, thank you again for all the love, suppirt, and comments. You can write just about anything and I'm happy. They mean a lot to me.
> 
> Have a happy new year!


	9. Solved Mysteries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri isn't the only person upset about the 'break-up'. But who can help in a time like this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took longer than planned to update. Sorry about that everybody.

“He did what?!”

Christophe nods, the news of the human and Victor’s incident leaves the beings stunned; Seung-Gil’s eyes widened from the disclosure, he remains silent, but now from not knowing what to say in response, Sara and Michele look at one another with almost disappointed expressions, and Yuri glares to the snowy grounds, clenched fists trembling at his sides. He’s angry. Offended, even.

“You inform us that that vacating swine had the privilege to observe Victor in his paramount self, then has the impudence to dread over it?” Yuri questions, his gaze carefully rises up to face Christophe face-on, who, in turn, doesn’t smile anymore. If he shows even the slightest sign of blithe, surely Yuri would freeze him for the rest of Winter, so he gives an urbane nod in place.

 

“Apparently, according to Victor, at least.” Christophe exhales, as though to seem exasperated from his recent meeting with Victor. “While he hadn’t specified what precisely the human saw, I think we all know what it had to be.”

It’s hard to believe, but they know Christophe has a point; none of them like to be seen by humans, it was  why they only went to the town in the evenings, nearly all humans would be asleep so they could do what they pleased without chance of being noticed. It was the same reason why they didn’t go to the castle and Victor went to them, they couldn’t chance a human being there; the environments they reside in seem unusual to them anyway.

“What I don't understand though is, I thought this ‘love’ idea was supposed to break it. How could that human see Victor as he is, then not again? Did the curse reverse itself?” Mickey asks the others, saying aloud what everyone had clearly been wondering themselves.

The first to answer is Seung-Gil, “Perhaps the human is delusional of his affection towards Victor himself. He thinks what they have is real when it really isn’t.”

Christophe waves his hand to the side, “That can’t be. The human does think fondly of Victor, I saw it in his dreams, there had been no negative aura when I saw it the first night. However, you know I couldn’t stay too long in there, enough time and he would have woken up.”

Sara, the most interested, quickly poses her biggest question, “What does he think now that he saw Victor...as Victor?”

“I don't know, though I’m curious to find out myself. It may have been evening when I heard this myself, but Victor was also rather cautionary over his guest’s well being.” Christophe answers,

“I shall continue roaming the castle these next few nights until the perfect chance for me to penetrate the man’s dreams again to learn anything.”

“I don't think that’s going to be possible.”

That voice is familiar and unfamiliar at the same time; the group of four turn their heads to the same direction to find the only other individual who could ever be able to find them: Phichit.

Despite being known for his pleasant and friendly output, it’s blatantly clear to them all that he didn’t appear to them for idle chit-chat. His face fallen and stoic, he lets out a soft sigh, “As least, not as soon as you think.”

No one responds, they don’t understand. Despite how little they may speak to Phichit, he was never one for cryptic messages. Without a reaction of any sort t go by, Phichit continues on, “The human is gone. I took him home.”

As before when Christophe told them of the incident previous, all the beings come shocked again. Sara responds first this time, “But why? Why would Victor send him back?”

“I don't really know, like always, his memories were gone.” Phichit sighs in disappointment.

Sara, visibly the most upset by the notice, looks to the others for some form of comfort or answer; as one could expect, it’s her brother who makes the first move, “His reaction. If the human did see Victor as he is and didn’t like it...then there’s no reason for him to have stayed.”

Silence flood over the five, the tension had risen and lowered so many times in the course of only moments. How are any of them supposed to feel now? While for the most part, none were certain of Victor’s relations with the human to be guaranteed, the way he had spoken about him, and this revelation that Victor may actually return to his former self, maybe they were wrong. But what was there to do now?

The look of hope fades from Sara’s face, Michele, instinctively, grabs her hand for comfort. Christophe averts his gaze to his own feet; Seung-Gil sneers in what may be frustration or empathy. Phichit watches the rest, knowing not what to say in this situation to help, he needs to sort some things out for himself. Meanwhile, Yuri lets out a breath of relief, looking much less tense than he had been for the last few months, “I presume that means Victor need no longer be burdened by impractical swine.” His arms stretch over his head, grinning.

———-

It’s too much.

He can’t sleep. He doesn’t want to eat. There’s nothing to talk about. Any chance of going outside would let the truth slip out. No matter how hard he tries to distract himself, he feels the same. He’s empty. And he doesn’t know why.

Taking another scan through his journal, Yuuri can at least note several symbols look similar to another, but none seem to repeat themselves. Whatever the creature— or anything it could have been— did, it made sure to do a thorough job of ensuring Yuuri’s silence.

His futile investment in his journal keeps him from detecting anything outside his head, the click of the front door opening and closing when Mari steps in doesn’t faze him at all. For a sister who had been in nearly the exact same circumstance as Yuuri, she can't comprehend why he’s been acting this way. She and plenty of other women have gone through what he did and nobody became despondent like he had.

When she walks up behind him, he doesn’t inch. She remains without acknowledgement until her voice emerges, “Are you looking for more patterns?” Mari doesn’t get a reply. That’s not going to stop her.

“You know, you’ve been looking through that old thing since you came home. Maybe you need a fresh set of eyes?”

“Don’t bother. It’s a bunch of nonsense.” Yuuri must feel truth in that sort of negativity, anything pessimistic was all he would really say now. At least Mari got him to say something.

She takes the seat besides his own, this may take some time “Notes are not nonsense, Yuuri. You’ve told me the things you can write.”

There’s no reaction; not a verbal nor facial one.

Mari sneers, “Until you said so to Yuko and everyone else, I didn’t think there could be something about the creature we could have missed. But there was, and, Yuuri, you found it. When the rest of were willing to give into this weird plea for compassion, you looked for something that could put an end to it. Needless to say, that’s more than what everyone else, including the town council, were willing to do.”

Her voice ceases from a loud tone when her next thoughts come into her head, when she says them aloud, the words are soft, almost whispers, “This all happened because you were worried about me...And now I’m worried about you.”

There’s no certainty, it’s unlikely simply as a possibility to even consider, but Mari tells herself that her words lightende Yuuri, if just a little, for only a second. Hushed by their emotions, Mari and Yuuri sit for some time. Yuuri’s grip on the journal loosens and Mari notices, in order for the book to not fall and pollute the scene with noise, she gently pulls it out of Yuuri’s hands into her own. With her curiosity suddenly piqued, she flips through several of the ending pages.

“There’s no point…” Yuuri comments, his tone more opinionative than demanding, “It’s stupid to have tried anything. My entire idea was stupid.”

“This Victor guy doesn’t sound stupid, you seem to write a lot of good things about him.”

Vic..tor...Victor?

His jump cause his chair to stumble and Mari to flinch, “What was that?”

His sister, mildly confused, repeats herself, “You wrote about someone named Victor, I kept seeing that name in here.” She points to a page in Yuuri’s journal, one which only displays the bizarre, perplexed scribbles Yuuri can see. By impulse, he grabs back the journal and flips through the pages, legible then illegible. How did this…?

He looks back to his sister, “Y-you can read this?!”

“Well, yeah. Can’t you? This is your writing.” Mari remarks. Yuuri shakes his head, then comes up with his next idea; his finger drifts through until he finds the first page unable to read himself then promptly hands it back to Mari. “What does this first part say?”

Although still puzzled herself, this is the first time since his return that Mari has seen any life in her younger brother, if following along with what he asks keeps it up, she may as well partake, “ _The creature is actually a human, not by his own choice though. It is all because of a curse it has itself. His beauty enchanted me the moment I saw him. I’ve never felt anything like I have when I’m by his side._ ” There’s a pause, both Katsuki siblings know it, but don’t want to acknowledge the awkwardness coming from one sibling’s thought coming out of another sibling’s mouth. Mari clears her throat, waiting for a sign to stop there, but with nothing, she breathes in and reads more, “ _This person— I can call him that, right? —  seems more comfortable with human contact than I would have thought, considering the fact no previous girl remembers their time spent with him. His limitations show no end, he doesn’t mind sudden embracing, kissing, o-or even sharing a bed with a guest.’_ Yuuri, what am I reading?”

Yuuri shakes his head, “I-ignore that! Read something else, please.”

She can see there’s no getting out of this situation, so Mari flips a page to read on, “ _Had he he not told me otherwise, I believe that anyone would think Victor is any other human. He has the same capacity of emotions anyone back home does. I see it in the way he plays with Makkachin; his continuous interest in my stories; how he moves through the hallways with me and when he was on the frozen river, but especially in his smile.”_

Makkachin. Frozen river. _His smile?_

None of those factors show a pattern or theme. Nothing mentioned in the rest of the journal. ‘Makkachin’ doesn’t even sound like a word, that’s more of a...name. There is no river nearby; he doesn’t even understand why anyone would go near  frozen one, they could get..hurt. He’s getting contradicting emotions with these notes, how is that happening? They seem familiar, especially ‘Victor’s smile’, hearing Mari mention it and even now in this moment, it makes his heart almost skip a beat.

Something definitely happened in those months he was gone, there’s still no determining what, but there’s an emotional familiarity. Yuuri just needs one last hint to prove himself right.

“What’s the last thing I wrote?” There’s a tinge of pink forming unto his cheeks and ears, it’s clear to both sibling this is embarrassing for the other to be in, but it’s important to Yuuri, and after what he’s done for Yuko and the rest of their township, Mari feels like she must power through.

The last written page starts, “E _very time we talk about that, I feel heavy inside. Like I don’t want that to happen to him. This isn't to say that I don't want him to be happy, nor think he isn't capable of it. Until meeting Victor, I don't know what to have considered about creatures in the forest. If they are all like Victor, then they are more like us than anyone assumes._

_This unpleasant feeling seems to come from imagining that sort of life where Victor has it with someone else. Although we talk like we already have it, the curse doesn't seem to be broken. Perhaps it wasn't meant for me to break. It's difficult to believe he could have this sort of relation with anyone else though. Even if it isn't meant for me, I'm choosing to stay here'_....That's where it stops."

Yuuri is quiet as he processes the final passage he wrote somewhere in the forest, with 'Victor', who he is believing be the cause of this. He only has one question left, "Mari? What am I talking about in that entry? Go back a page."

She complies, eyes drift over the previous duel pages to come up with a definite answer. When she stops, it could easily be assumed she found it, “Love…?”

There it is. That heavy feeling inside his stomach that made him imagine that he's sinking into the earth. He feels unsteady, but not as he had before or even in the way as if to assume he were ill.

Love. Victor. Curse. Love. Victor. Curse. Love. Victor. Curse. 

His mind clicks for a moment, thinking back after only a second, Yuuri can't determine why it was important, but he knows it is.

Love. Victor. Curse. Love. Victor. Curse. _Victor's curse. Victor's love. Love. Curse. Love breaks...Love Victor.._.

With no warning, Yuuri takes the journal from Mari and returns it to it's rightful place in his satchel. Hung over his shoulder he turns for the front door. “I’m going back out there.”

“What?! Yuuri, you just came back!” Mari does her best to restrain her voice, if she yells neighbors will hear and this situation had been stressful enough.

Yuuri rummages through the satchel's contents, inspecting for all essentials before leaving, "Yes, I did. Too soon from what I understand, but nobody else knows that. If I go back now, it'll be like this never happened."

“And without a guide? You don’t go into the woods alone! Who knows what would happen out there. Without another person with you, you’ll never find your way back. To home, or whatever the hell you want to go!”   


"Well, that's fine. I won't need a guide since I don't know where I'm going. I'm just going back. I can still make this right, for everyone."

“What am I supposed to tell Mom and Dad?”

He looks over his shoulder, there’s a sense of confidence in his tone, “Tell them, the loop is broken.”   
  


————-

 

When his knuckle taps the large door, Phichit can almost hear the knocks echo through the entire structure; no answer nor welcome comes his way. Well, judging from how one person with wiped memories reacted from the circumstance, Phichit predicted this would be a natural impulse to act on.

He silently excuses himself as the door creaks to lead him in. The size and warmth is remarkable, there's no help to the wondering if more human residences are like this. The foyer is still with the self-invited guest standing in it's localation. With the door closed and no longer squeaking, silence accompanies the building. There's no sign of where he could be, so Phichit goes by a hunch and opens a door with the strongest scent.

Sure enough, beyond another door sat an impossibly attractive man with his dog. The two sat by the fire within a brick house, one side completely missing. Of the sitting pair, the dog lays asleep as the man stares into the warm flames.

It had to be the door clicking to it's rightful place that tips off Victor that someone is in his home with him. A dozen clues would point to the same person, the biggest giveaway would likely be how quiet they are being, Victor knows the others well enough that they would make some sort of fit.

His tone is flat, "Did you show him his way back home?"

Phichit's voice emulates Victor's, not from empathy; he's in a upset mood himself, "I did, and he didn't know what he was doing out here, like always."

Victor doesn't look over to him, his gaze remains by the brightening heat, but a slight nod of the head, verifies his listening. It's all the response Phichit needs before continuing. 

“Is what Christophe saying true? Did he see you for you?” 

Victor's throat throbs from the question, “The way he described it, that was me. I guess I never thought what would happen once I returned to my normal self. How he would feel about it."

“But if he could see something beyond the human form, then doesn’t that mean he was close to breaking the spell?" Phichit knows Victor's problem as well as anyone else, if anything, he felt like has a outlying viewpoint compared to Yuri and the others. He had seen things the others hadn't, he could imagine things they didn't.  "Victor, why did you erase his memories?"

He answer stays brief, "He saw me for who I was and did not like it. " Phichit wants to scoff, but he can't bring himself to be so insensitive to this matter, "So it hurt to have a reaction like that? Have you always been ashamed of your true self?"

"No, but you know what humans are like. Especially when they have strong detestation towards creatures like us."

"That's ridiculous!" When Phichit yells, Makkachin's ears perk up and it rises awake; his risen tone causes the emotionally voided Victor to turn over as well. The boy has always had a smile and never a critique to give before.

"I said it before, _you said_ it before Victor. Something's different about that human. You never would have done as much as you had otherwise. You have never had any other human stay for nearly an entire season. You never would have fought Yuri and Christophe abut sending back sooner either! We both know the first opportunity either of you had to end this, you would have! He stayed, and you let him.

Don't try telling me this is about how we think humans are. I know that differently better than anyone. And I'm even more certain of it now after meeting Yuuri! No one feels that saddened after losing something they can't even recall losing. To everyone else, as soon as you were forgotten, you were gone Not to Yuuri, you had an impact on him, he told me that he didn't want to lose it or give up on what he felt. You need to bring him back."

"There would be no use," Victor remarks, he stands up, restating his confidence if only in himself, "every memory he could have about me is gone. Anything that could remind himself of me has disappeared into oblivion. It’s all blocked out."

Every answer Victor gives seems to only upset Phichit further, through his panting, he makes only one comment, "You're _that scared_ of caring about someone else?"

Of all the people Victor has known, he never could have imagined the kindest one to be able to say things that sting so much, "N-no, not...it is not that." He can feel his voice quiver, "I cared about him more than anything else.  I just... wanted him to be happy with everything here. Being cursed showed me how cruel I have been to other humans. I made more than just that woman unhappy. I made others unhappy for leading them away from home and whatever kinds of happiness they deserved. Yuuri does not deserve to look at a face that terrifies him into staying here. I want him to be with me but not with that sort of repercussion.

Even if I did let him stay, you know Yuri and the others would have done something. It has been difficult enough trying to protect the forest from human expansion. Ever since I was cursed it is harder to trust any human company that steps foot in here. They are as capable of anything as we are."

Phichit stays quiet, he can't argue with that. As much as he's interacted with humans, they've done a lot of damage to their homes. He doesn't hold it against them, for what people like Victor, Yuri, Christophe, and all of them have done, but it's hard to change a mind most of the time on something like that.

He must admit though, he feels better about hearing Victor's true feelings, "I've never seen any of us become so emotional like that before. I'm happy to hear that you do care about another's well-being."

Victor smiles weakly, "I must do what I believe is best for Yuuri's safety. He deserves the best."

Phichit's smile slowly changes to a teasing one, "Because of everything he went through with you?"

Victor shakes his head, for a moment he's quiet,"...Because I love him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a few people commented about wanting Phichit to go back to Victor and yell at him for what he did, so I felt like it would be nice to put that in, resulting in what was planned to be the last part in this chapter to be moved over to be first in the next. It feels better like this anyway. Gotta love Phichit.
> 
> Bah, look at this chapter, trying to make my writing more professional and poetic-like, it's more funny than effective I feel like.


	10. Found Misplacements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When time feels the most hopeless, the best you can do is hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, remember when I would update this every week? I try not to, otherwise I feel bad about not doing it in a month. And it's a particularly short chapter too, but about our favorite Italian wolves!

“He wasn’t impractical swine.”

 

Sara’s comment breaks the silence between the twins walking through the forest. It catches Michele off-guard since it came from nowhere, but at the same time, he’s relieved as the lack of chatter had been uncomfortable to endure. For that reason, he joins in, “You never met them.”

 

She continues, ignoring his comment, “Victor had been so engrossed in the human. Have you ever seen him act the way he had in at the river with any other visitor? I can’t help but feel that that human is more crucial than we thought.”

 

“You seem rather invested in Victor’s curse, Sara.” Michele remarks, he can’t help but feel jealous that the cursed friend and a human were the things getting his sister to talk right now.

 

“We all have been.” She points out, “How long have we been trying to fix it now?”

 

He smirks, she had him there. As little as he cared about Victor’s curse, he respects the Blud. And, of course, the well-being of the woods matter a lot to him, though he has a few ideas as to where to migrate to if the time came, but Sara’s happiness comes first. Until she decided she is ready, Michele would stay and do what he could for his home. Even if it means being around near-intolerable peers.

 

“It seemed simpler before.” Michele reflects, someone goes to Victor, he returns to normal, simple. “I think we’re just exhausted of it now. Following these rules, when a human didn’t play fair to begin with.”

 

“But ‘love’? How come we’ve never heard of it before?” Ah, there it is. For a while now, Michele has suspected that of being a lingering thought on his sister’s mind. It had been a central theme in returning Victor to his former self, but only when this male human arrived did Sara’s interest venture further. Between the six of them— including Phichit, excluding Victor— their knowledge about the subject is minimal.

 

Though frankly, a human lifestyle like that didn’t seem appealing. From what Victor has regaled, it’s clear humans are selfish. Stories of urging Victor to do things Michele could only find distasteful; they seem only enraptured by his human’s appearance and not what is beneath it. Even then, there are stories of two humans being forced to live together for a completely unrelated person’s benefit. Two beings that couldn’t find a likable trait in each other, they live unhappily because they don't fit a certain preference? The female humans prior to the male were unable to acknowledge Victor as an individual, rather a point of pleasure. And the male, he ended up seeing Victor as a monster. Michele is rather relieved that he doesn’t have to live a human life.

 

With a scoff, Michele answers, “Because it's an obtuse belief for selfish humans.”

 

“We can not be that close-minded!” Sara’s yell is loud, but without echo in the snowy forest. Michele’s posture straightens, then curves back, his eyes wide at the near howling his dear sister had made.

 

“This has not been as easy as we wanted it, otherwise Victor would have turned back long ago. Whoever this human was, he made Victor look happy, even in the human body! He’s learning and trying things we never heard of with the male human, because he  _ wants  _ to….Doesn’t he?”

 

Anger to frustration to jealousy to worry in a matter of words; apparently Sara can’t seem to fully grasp her own mind around the situation, the confusion leading to emotions Michele knows she hates feeling. And he hates to see her like that.

 

Her eyes soften, pupils diverting to the snowy ground, “Why am I the only one who wants to know more about this?”

 

There’s a sigh when Michele settles his tracks to devote all attention to his sister, “I want to know more too, Sara, but...this construct is something a human wants Victor to become. That witch wanted Victor to think like a human, which practically means throwing away all the moralities he’s had his whole life for selfish wants, at least before, Victor would look out for us or lead humans astray so we could hold onto our home a little longer. They never got hurt, Phichit always returns them home. This idea of love,is basically forcing another to be with you for all time, take what you want, if you don't like it then be rid of it ? it's not fair. It’s pitiless.”

 

She doesn’t respond. Her eyes are blank as she stares into the air surrounding Michele, it worries him. Did he say something wrong? He doesn’t want his sister to be mad at him.

 

Although puzzled, he’s nonetheless relieved when Sara moves again, pulling him and herself behind a tree. His body pressed up against a less than comfortable tree with his sister pinning him against it doesn’t bring Michele to a rational state of mind. Thoughts fly everywhere before they sort out into the intention of finding clarity, “Sar-” Her finger taps against his lips to stop him before retracting it back. In a hushed yell, she points, “Mickey, look!” 

 

He looks over his shoulder and just passed the treebark to where she directs her viewpoint, several yards from where they hide burns a small fire. Beside it’s aspiring warmth sits a young fellow, arms wrapped around his own body rubbing profusely. 

 

The sight baffles Michele, “Another one?” From the past few seasons, humans began to stay within the village until Springtime before setting out to travel. What would this one be doing?

 

The physical pressure on his chest carefully lightens up before realizing that Sara has moved away from him and resumed walking, only now in the human’s direction.

 

In a worried hesitation, Michele’s hand tries to grab hers, missing completely. He has no choice but to silently yell, “Sara, don’t go near him.”

 

She doesn’t listen, no turning back. “I am going to find out more. I want to know what it’s like.” Michele can’t believe his ears, this cannot possibly end well. Maybe the male did impact Victor in some way, but that can’t be said for all humans, right? This one could try to hurt Sara, Michele won’t let that happen.

 

He follows her footprints, expanding them due to his larger size, but hopes to remain quiet. Sharp eyes dart focus from his sister’s head to the human sitting the weakening fire, then returning to Sara’s flowing hair.

 

“Don’t try to stop me.”

 

Her tone is stern, lowered by the weighted solemnity she has in order to earn a real answer from a source. There’s no proof he is being mandated into the request, but Michele feels as though he is. His feet settle into the snow, letting Sara’s to further away from them to approach the human.

 

With each closing inch, another breath feels to be stagnated in her lungs; Sara doesn't know what she’s doing, she’s just willing to take a risk. Her hand stretches out, her voice staggers over itself when hoping to notify the human, “H-hello-o there…?”

 

There is no reply, the human’s head doesn’t turn to look at her, leaving Sara ignored. Inhaling the cold air keeps her on her toes, she’s ready for what may come when she steps around in front of the stranger, speaking out again.

 

“Do you hear me?”

 

From where Michele stands he can see Sara’s eyes widen, not in shock, more of surprise. “Is something wrong?” he calls to her.

 

With a finger to her lips, his sister informs Michele to lower his voice before beckoning him to come where she is. No matter how safe his sister has been, Michele can't help but remain cautious when he closes in on the human.  His own breath remains held as until Sara is in arm's length, she points to the human again so that Michele makes eye contact; only he can’t. The human male had his eyes closed, he doesn’t react to Michele either when he waves his before his face.

 

There’s a sense of annoyance in Michele’s mind before he hears Sara whisper in his ear, “I think he’s sleeping.”

 

Now that she says that, Michele notices the male’s shoulder rise and decline at a gentle pace. Interesting, so humans hibernate in the Winter too, Michele thinks to himself. That may be the only thing about humans that make sense.

 

The two stare at the human for a quiet moment; Sara observing intensely, Michele unsure of what they are really doing. In the human’s hands, Sara sees a brown rectangular object and, from her sheer curiosity, carefully slips it out of grip.

 

“That’s a ‘book’, right?” Michele asks. There were a few instances he can recall from Victor and Phichit telling about humans obsessed with such a thing. He watches the white sheets flutter past his sister’s fingers, being careful so that her sharpened claws do not tear. “What are those?” He points to one page at what they all have: writing. There’s no way of the two of them to understand the human mindset, to them these inscriptions are more nonsense.

 

“Have you noticed the material this human has wrapped around the front of his head?”

 

“Yes, what of it?”

 

“Didn’t Victor say that whatever he searched for in the river was required for his guest to see? Maybe this is the same human Victor sent home.” She states, never looking away from the person in question. She closes the book, setting back on his lap when she kneels down to eye level. Her smile is beautiful, Michele of all people know that, even now but he ins’t sure he likes where Sara’s intentions are leading.

 

“We don’t know that,” he points out.

 

“And we never will if we don’t help him.” She picks up the satchel beside the human, holding it in her arms, “Humans are incapable of surviving in this condition, Victor nearly lost his life in the river. For once, let’s help a human rather than hinder their chances of survival.”

 

Passion is a curious emotion, Yuri and Seung-Gil lack it immensely; Victor and Christophe convey it through all of their motions; but Sara, were she not already the vision of living beauty— at least in Michele’s eyes— she certainly would be the living paragon of it.

 

————-

A den fifteen feet deep, surrounding and layered by soft soil, with entry nearly blinded by frozen water running from the creek overhead, can hardly be described as “homey”. For Michele and Sara though, it feels just right. The only time they really needed it was for periods of rest or to detect approaching humans in the forest.

 

Today, it became particularly useful in order to assist the human. Inside the den, while still cold, it isn’t as windy nor wet, so Michele’s fire will surely sustain longer. Sara remains close to the human in hopes of pertaining a safe body temperature until the flames rise high enough.

 

“What are you going to say when he awakes?” Michele asks. He’s come this far, he may as well know all the details. Sara sighs through her nose, curling up until her knees reach her chin and hugs herself. “I suppose if he knows anything about….anything.”

 

Michele stays quiet, he doesn’t want to say it, but he needs to be realistic for the two of them, “If he doesn’t,  we can’t take him back to his people. Other humans will likely be searching for him, we could be seen.”

 

In no hesitation, Sara retorts, “Well, we can’t let him freeze out there.” Michele steps away from the fire to sit by Sara’s side, who, on the other hand, directs him to the other side of the human to warm him up more. Reluctant, but he complies.

 

“Are you sure we should let us be seen?” He asks. There’s too many things at risk by doing this.

  
Sara closes her eye and smiles, “I feel that we can trust him. And even if I’m wrong, Victor can wipe his memory.”

There’s a slight click in the tongue in his snicker, “Just like that?” As uneasy about being so close to a human is, Michele does enjoy the buoyancy his sister is showing. “Victor does seem skillful even without his abilities at full capacity.” His eyes browse over the human’s sleeping body, then to his book. “Do you think Victor could read that?”

  
The sparkle in Sara’s eyes speak enough for Michele to know he said the best possible thing in that moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry about the delay everyone. Thanks for being so patient, in the meantime. It's been hard getting back into this while I start looking for a job between school.
> 
> However, note that there's only two chapters left, then Frozen in Time will be complete. Hopefully they will be up at timely basis again, then I can get working on the others' stories.


	11. Lost Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come the next chapter, I'll delete that notice.
> 
> Things were longer than anticipated, so this chapter was cut into two parts. So if the next chapter becomes th last one, it will be perhaps the longest chapter, or, once it will be sliced into a new chapter/epilogue.

Blowing winds howl in echos and through Yuuri’s eardrums, they sound like a whistle from a steam boat. His heavy eyelids struggle to pick themselves up when Yuuri’s mind returns from his sleep. His spine aches as he sits straight, the top of his head bumping against the rough walls. When his blurred vision clears itself, everything in his memory flashes back and his surroundings are taken in.

 

He doesn’t recall going into any sort of shelter, the last he remembers, he was outside by a less than impressive fire. Though judging the time of day and the winter’s lowering temperature, it’s best that he is. The fire near him only smolders in its pit; somebody else has been here. Did they take him in, to help him? His satchel is with him, so they wanted to relocate him. As a precaution, he rummages through it, he wants to trust whoever brought him here, but he needs to be certain that nothing has been stolen.

 

He was right to be cautious when he realizes it’s gone. The journal is missing.

 

His heart starts racing, he needs that journal. It’s the only thing that can lead him to Victor. Did whoever bring him here take it? Was it dropped on the way here?

 

There’s no point to worry about the cold, the longer he is without the journal, the less likely he’ll get to where he needs to be. Besides, should he find anyone, maybe they can help him again. From what Mari read, the forest isn’t as dangerous a place as stories foretold. Victor is someone he wants to meet again.

 

An exhale exits his lungs, his tightening grip on the satchel gives him a feeling of security, determination pushes Yuuri’s first step into the snowy cold and crude winds.

 

———--

 

He’s noticed it before, but it’s more evident now: The mansion is very quiet with no one there by his side.

 

Phichit has gone and left and sure, he has Makkachin; they’ve been together for ages, it had just snuck up on Victor one faithful day in the forest and the two had never been apart since. He could only imagine Makkachin belonged to humans at one point, he just doesn’t know why it left and took a liking to Victor. Perhaps, again, it was the curse. Although animals s  ee creatures of the forest as another part of the ecosystem, Makkachin’s breed is one that mingles amongst humans.

 

If Makkachin could see Victor for what he really is, would they be afraid too?

 

_ Knock, knock. _

 

How peculiar, Victor thinks entering the foyer. Did the townspeople send the newest guest already? It’s only been a few days. Well, be only a few days or a whole lifetime, would Victor be ready to welcome another human into his life as a possible lover? Suddenly, the notion seems as ludicrous and baffling as it must for Yuri and the others to begin with.

 

_ BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! _

 

Goodness, this human is an impatient one. Victor’s almost hesitant to open the door, if this is who he is going to be attempting to court, he may be better off not answering.

 

_ “Victor? Are you inside?” _

 

Was that...That was Sara. How on earth could she have found him? Where is Michele? No nonhuman has ever come to his abode before Yuuri arrived. There’s no way Christophe told her, right?

 

Upon hearing a gentle click in the doors, Victor feels himself tense up at what may come should Michele find his sister in his home. To a pleasant surprise, Michele is there with Sara, both enveloping the scene of being in a human home for the first time. More curiously, the two are not alone together, a third party accompanies them: Phichit.

 

“Ah...what do I owe this fortuitous visit?” Victor greets, oddly enough, despite still being quite dispirited, being in the company of more optimistic friends lightens his heart.

 

Michele’s eyes drift from the high ceilings to Victor, “We suspect the male human you sent home has returned to the forest.”

 

There’s a silence, Michele doesn’t even wait for a response, he resumes observing the foreign environment. Victor feels as though he can hear everything and nothing in the same moment: his heart hammers his ribcage, tremoring through his entire body; Sara’s feet patter on the floor as she dances around the foyer; Phichit is calling his name; all of it sounds akin to a siren.

 

“Victor!” Phichit calls out, catching his attention along with the Crispino twins. When their eyes lock, Phichit’s posture straightens, “I’m sorry. I ran into them as soon as I left. They have some questions about Yuuri.”

 

The man makes no sign of breaking silence, it worries Sara and, oddly enough, Michele. Phichit sighs, he looks their way, “It’s been a very sensitive subject.”

 

When Sara speaks, her voice is softer than usual, nearing a whisper, “Did he respond that badly?”

 

Phichit stares at Victor, there’s a flinch unnoticed by the other two. He offers a reassuring smile, “It was a surprise, he was just scared.” His face directs itself to the twins, but he wants Victor to be the one listening.

 

“He has no need to be. Sara and I took him to our den, he’s safe in our hands, especially yours, Victor.” Michele comments nonchalantly, Phichit nods.

 

“What about Yuri? Christophe? Seung-Gil?” Three names, each with a shiver accompanied travel down everyone’s spines. How could they forget them? Their thoughts in humankind are much too hostile for a single human to endure, even if it for Victor’s sake.

 

“Yuri  _ did  _ seem enraged over how the human reacted. Even if he didn’t want him here in the first place.” Michele recalls, rubbing his neck; Yuri has always been protective of all the creatures’ forestry territory, especially when it came to the occupants. Sara can’t help but shuffle her feet at the thought of Seung-Gil encountering the male, despite his lack of expression, he has a low tolerance for disturbance of any kind relating to humans. “Seung-Gil certainly isn’t the one who relishes in untraditional relations.”

 

And Christophe? Well, they all knew the Alp doesn’t keep certain affairs to himself, nor his own hands for that matter.

 

There’s a puff and huff from Phichit before he opens his mouth, “W-well, what does that matter, though? Victor, you said before that you love him, isn’t that right?”

 

Within a second of the question asked, Victor gives no hesitation in his answer. “Yes.” The instantaneous and the seriousness cause Michele and Sara to widen their eyes in amazement.

 

“Then, that sheer fact alone you know about yourself is no one else’s decision to make. We’re our own beings, I think as much as we want to protect and help each other we can’t decide how each other feels.”

 

“Phichit, one human dispersing a spell is not going to end all hostilities our species have collected over centuries.” The three guests couldn’t help but take notice in the way Victor’s semi-casual speaking patterns began reverting to their old formal ways. “Yuuri saw what my real self looks like, but it terrified him. I cannot bear to imagine what it would be like for him to encounter that sort of perturbation every day for the rest of his life.”

 

He’s taking this very seriously. But only the negative standpoints, and that really agitates Phichit.

 

“So, any effort is going to be in vain? Whether you listen to us, Yuri, Christophe, or yourself?”

 

“Assuming the end result makes Yuuri’s living any more intolerable, then yes.”

 

Phichit doesn’t want to argue with that, in a way it was the same reason why he didn’t like being around the others; these conflicts always turn unpleasant.

 

“So, it isn't so much in regards to what he saw, rather ensuring he remains safe and happy.” The motive finally makes sense, it makes Sara smile with melancholy.

“But I don’t understand this,” Michele reflects over the passing topics, “Victor just admitted to loving the human and for reasonable cause; shouldn’t he have return to normal?” he speculates.

Phichit sighs, “I don’t think it’s enough, Yuuri needs to realize he loves him in return. And that likely won’t happen now that he can’t even remember Victor’s name.” His second sentence lowers in volume, keeping Victor from hearing, hurting him further.

The comment falls upon deaf ears regardless, Victor’s eyes had fallen and locked focus on an object left unnoticed by him until now.

“Sara, what are you holding?”

Her head rises, sight lowers to her hand; she had completely forgotten the reason she and her brother came in search of him in the first place. “This was with the human when we found him. You can read human markings right? This may be of importance to you.”

Holding the book out towards him, Victor eyes the book before sliding it away from her grasp into his own. It  _ does _ look like the one Yuuri had, but then again plenty of these things looked similar. The skip in his heartbeat gives Victor an intense sensation down to the pit of his stomach. His smile is gentle as he tucks the new item under his arm, “Ah, thank you.”

“What? You’re not going to read it? We need confirmation, or at least give it back so the human doesn’t think we stole it.” Michele protests only backing up with Phichit raises a hand to him.

“We’ve intervened enough, for now, go back to your den and see how our new guest is feeling. Assuming it does belong to Yuuri, or even any other human, it isn’t in our place to meddle any further than we have...”

Phichit wants Victor to be convinced by Yuuri’s own words, Michele and Sara know that. It’s not their words to need to reach Victor. The trio give a farewell to Victor, heeding that he come find one of them whence he starts feeling better. Halting her steps, giving her brother and Phichit a head start from exiting the human environment, Sara looks over her shoulder, “I really think you should read it. You may learn something. I just... feel it.”

Victor’s face remains blank as Sara hurries to catch up to the young men. He allows the doors to lose on their own before retreating to the den.

———

He should have anticipated this; winds are pushing the snow in all directions, even if he knew who provided him that shelter, whatever tracks they may have left would surely have blown away by now. 

Had he remained still, he could have survived another day in hopes of finding another living being. However, Yuuri is beginning to think that he himself won't be able to last for another person to find him.

This was reckless, he had been acting on impulse ever since Mari read him his own journal. He just wants answers, but it seems he only brought up more questions for himself. This search for Victor, the creature, and whatever else lies within this forsaken forest would all be for nothing. Yuuri feels his cheeks burn in contrast to the winds, if he begins to cry his eyes may freeze shut and he’ll never be able to open them again.

“Oh, what the hell?!”

Despite all turbulence amongst the snowfall, a voice could be so clear; maybe because of how angry they were.

They march toward Yuuri easily, this wind is nothing compared to the blizzard they were planning to build up. Until Yuuri stood directly in front of them, the being refused to let up on control of the surrounding snowfall.

“Open your eyes, weak-minded swine.”

Yuuri squints through his lashes to see a young adult: their blond hair shimmers through the icy air, whether it be the cold playing tricks on him or not, but he can’t help but worry for the younger one since their entire body seems a light blue. Their eyes pierce at Yuuri, as though they were disappointed in him for whatever reason. 

 

“You have no amnesty to travel these parts. Clarify yourself.”


	12. Valentine's Bonus Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not exactly an actual chapter, just a brief segment I kept debating with myself to ut in or nt.
> 
> Eventually realized the story wouldn't really feel like much pay off if at least something wasn't there.
> 
> So, here's Victor reading the journal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how this keeps slipping away from, but it always does and I keep getting angry at myself.
> 
> I'm pretty sure a lot of people out there have trouble, not just in writing, that as much as we want to get the next piece out there, not just for ourselves but for you all out there too, because we're happy you enjoy seeing what we have to offer, we have to remind ourselves it's not a job and not the end of the world. We like to do it, and hobbies need to be something to help calm us down, not worsen our anxiety.
> 
> But enough sad stuff, here's a cute little segment for us all to hold off on until the final chapter (But there will be an epilouge).
> 
> Happy Valentine's everybody. Thank you all again.

It was a peculiar feature for the journal to take record of all these guests Victor had housed within the previous years. Fascinating, despite the number, Victor could recall these encounters rather vividly.

There was the energetic Minako Okukawa, a woman of sheer enthusiasm and expressive body movements. Though brash and loudmouthed, Victor was permitted chances to see the more delicate side of her. However, even now, he takes caution in never asking Minako about her age. 

Ah, he certainly remembers that Alisa girl; an exuberant young lady she was, who seemed to be able to understand quite a bit of the things Victor would say. A strong love for her younger brother there was, for hours she would recall stories of them both playing with the other youths in the village. Victor couldn't help but wonder if Michele could have learned a thing or two about sibling love from her.

A gentle, low chuckle can’t help but escape from Victor's throat, he couldn’t say that his mood has been lifted, the nostalgia has soothed his heart though. Each of these ladies were so unique in their own special ways, Victor cannot help but hope these lovely girls each found their true love.

Before proceeding, Victor’s thumb pushes the pages to expose solely the first page, referring to a former guest by the name of Mari, no last name given. Certainly familiar. If memory serves, this young woman wasn’t the most resolved in making a relationship; her unperturbed nature seemed to only permit her to engage in physical contact when absolutely necessary. She hardly delved into her interests, rather speaking of the village in her childhood. She had a younger brother as well.

Victor’s smile softens, Yuuri nearly seemed to be the exact opposite of her. Losing his sister must have been hard for him. In the past Yuuri had mentioned voluntarily coming in place of another villager, saying he couldn’t let the family suffer without her.

Family.

Yuuri had been away from his original home for some time when in Victor’s company. Maybe it was better to send Yuuri back— plenty of the women mentioned their own families and friends left behind in the village. A majority of any recollections they would make were typically tied with a feel of melancholy. If Yuuri had done this task in order to protect another person— another human— Victor could stand to be alone for some more years…

To feel the flutter of the paper tickle his fingertips, Victor jumps pages, analyzing and reminiscing his times with the people from the village. Memories...only he would have now, none to be shared. Especially the happiest moments he’s come in contact with in who knows how many years.

On subconscious impulse, he searches for the most recently written in pages, maybe he could share with Yuuri the memories he use to have.

How amusing, even in his writing Yuuri seems to get so flustered about Victor; he can’t help but note how Yuuri was apparently watching every last detail of his being. Victor wants to feel embarrassed, but it may be a tad hypocritical if he were. At any waking opportunity, he would gaze upon Yuuri’s own heavenly features. His hair curling to every angle of his head no matter how much Yuuri (or Victor) would pat it down. His nose scrunching up at the sight of something new or surprising, even as little as Makkachin jumping into his lap. There’s the smallest mole just beneath Yuuri’s chin, Victor’s noticed it at nearly every nap Yuuri would take in. And his eyelashes….Yuuri’s eyes were already comparable to his dinner plates, but the lashes almost added a tone of extravagance and acuity when he would glance at Victor through them. Especially at that time when he had lost those glasses at the river. He’s such an enchanting sight, even in memories.

At last, with his gentle smirk growing into a blissful smile. He can’t help but poonder suddenly, if Victor is the most beautiful, handsome man the world has seen, then what does that make Yuuri?


End file.
